The biggest loser revisited

  Since I last blogged about the Nets quest for the all time NBA futility mark (held by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers at 9-73), they have picked up the pace and have gone 2-13 in their last 15 games to build their current record to 5-49. If they can win tonight's game at home against the Memphis Grizzlies, they will be percentage points ahead of the pace. Given that a lot of teams in the last month of a long season will be less motivated than the Net's quest to avoid history, I think the Nets will get to 10 wins and only be a very bad team and not the worst team ever.

  What I find interesting is not that the Nets are this bad (there are always some bad teams), but that this year's NBA has so few awful teams. The hallmark of bad NBA teams is 60 losses and many years there are at least 3 teams at that level. This year only the Nets and possibly the Minnesota Timberwolves are on the pace. Most bad teams play better at the end of the year as the players and coaches are trying to get next year's contract out of an otherwise dismal year.