It feels like it’s the end of the road for the Brooklyn Nets.
The team is currently down 3-0 to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
You don’t have to be a basketball historian to know that the chances of them winning this series and moving onto the second round are all but non-existent.
Fans of the team were hoping that things would turn out differently, especially because they expected to see the return of Ben Simmons in the postseason.
Simmons, who was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers a few months ago, was supposed to be a defensive savior for the team.
Instead, he’s been a bench warmer.
Ben Simmons in the background, makes this iconic 😂 pic.twitter.com/1cuonim988
— Tommy Hall Pitman (@TommyHallPitman) April 24, 2022
Because of a back injury, Simmons hasn’t played a single game with his new team.
A viral image from Saturday night’s loss against the Celtics shows the situation clearly: Boston is whooping Brooklyn and Simmons is standing quietly on the sidelines.
This is not the way that fans of Brooklyn expected this season to end.
Better Luck Next Year, Brooklyn
Since the creation of the Durant-age Nets, the team has always felt this close to greatness.
With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving leading the way, there was reason to believe this was a Finals contender.
But they have consistently come up short.
Simmons could be that missing piece the team has been lacking: a difference-maker on defense that takes them to the next level.
However, things aren’t off to a great start for his time with the Nets.
Simmons will have to do a lot to win over angry fans – and displeased teammates – in the weeks and months ahead.
The Nets will need to come out strongly next season and really shake up the entire NBA.
Otherwise, it’ll be time to rethink the whole team.
NEXT: Nets Facing An Unbeatable Historical Trend With 3-0 Deficit