Infinite Nets Game 78: Five Cigarettes To Go

We’re in the endgame now. Five games to decide the season. The voice in my head tells me that I’ve got to rejoice in the experience of these last five games. They may be the last chance I ever get to watch this team play together. I want my senses to remain heightened, but they’re frayed.

A woman killed herself by jumping in front of my train this morning. I was in the front car of the R Train, getting ready to give up my seat and make a transfer to the N when we stopped just short of the end of the platform at the 59th Street station in Brooklyn. I didn’t feel anything other than the quick slamming of the emergency brakes. There was no screaming coming from the platform. Maybe 10 people quickly ran to the front of the car to take a look at something, before a good 7 of them averted their eyes and ran up the steps, either to get help or to get as far away as they could from whatever they saw. Minutes later they opened the door and told us to get the hell out of the station. I wasn’t particularly troubled by the event. I’d probably feel differently if I’d seen her face as she jumped to her death, but it seemed distant. As if it happened five stations down the line. I was annoyed that I had to walk 23 blocks to the 36th street station where I could catch the D and then transfer to the 4, and ultimately get to work 40 minutes late. I think I feel worse for the conductor, their having somebody do that to them. Suicide is never good, but doing this in front of people who will now have to contend with watching a complete stranger do this to themselves seems selfish. Anyway, I’m told the woman was in her 30’s. Please don’t jump in front of trains.

They hosted Milwaukee coming off of a laugher of a win against Boston, and having Milwaukee licking their wounds following a brutal loss to something called the Atlanta Hawks. Giannis Antetokounmpo had sat for several games, and there was briefly a feint glimmer of hope that he’d sit out tonight, but it was not to be. The bastard played, though he did not play at full strength and got into foul trouble early. Milwaukee proceeded to absolutely throttle Brooklyn in the first quarter, going up by 20 points. Everything went in for Milwaukee. Nothing went in for Brooklyn. On the one hand, you want to realize that eventually things will swing the other way, but one thing is abundantly clear: The Milwaukee Bucks are a much better team than the Brooklyn Nets. I don’t know if this is a hot take. They’re just better. They have one of the two best players in the NBA, and the only one of those two who isn’t the loathsome James Harden, so he’s the League MVP in my heart. I don’t feel particularly bad calling the Bucks better, either. I’ve seen the Nets give it to everybody this year. If they didn’t beat some good team, they at least kept it close. Except with the Milwaukee Bucks, where both games ended with them getting flattened.

But the Nets did start hitting shots, at one point going on a 22-2 run. They kept it close, traded the lead, and then lost by 10 points. There were moments. Jared Dudley forced a jump ball with Giannis. That’s pretty funny. The Greek freak would need two bad ankles, and possibly a missing foot to give Dudley an even money chance at coming down with that, but he tried. They cut to a shot of Karlie Kloss and Ashley Graham in the arena who are attractive in a “God’s Perfect Angels” sort of way, if that’s your thing. D’Angleo hit his thing where he threw the ball into the heavens and watched as it dropped into the hoop. Caris LeVert is starting to look more like himself. Richard Jefferson showed off his really cool tattoo.

Nailed it.

But they lost. They lost a game they cannot afford to lose, and yet were probably always going to lose. The Ringer posted an Are We Sure The Nets Are Making The Playoffs article, just to piss me off. No, dumbasses. We’re not sure about that. Then they rehashed how it’d be a bummer if this team didn’t make the playoffs. No fucking shit, nerds.

I’m fine.

Also, because one guy is going to think it, today is April 2nd and even if it weren’t, I don’t do April Fool’s Day gags. That lady really did jump in front of train.

The Brooklyn Nets are 39-39 and in 7th place in the Eastern Conference.