Nets news: Brooklyn officially clinches playoff berth after win over Pacers

The Brooklyn Nets have officially ended their playoff drought after clinching a playoff spot with a hard-earned win against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.

The Brooklyn Nets have officially ended their playoff drought after clinching a spot in the postseason with a hard-earned 108-96 win against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The win against the Pacers was their 41st victory this season against 40 defeats. It placed them in a good position to finish sixth in the Eastern Conference race, avoiding a first-round showdown with East powerhouse teams Milwaukee Bucks and the Toronto Raptors.

Not only that, the agony of Brooklyn fans is finally over, as they will see their team in the postseason again after recovering from the darkest years of their franchise. The Nets gave up picks, which ended up high selections in several drafts, in exchange for veterans, who eventually failed to make a significant impact in Brooklyn.

Mike Scotto of The Athletic said that Nets will finish above .500 since for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

Brooklyn Nets have officially clinched a playoff berth for the first time since the 2014-15 season and will have a .500 or better record for the first time since the 2013-14 season. Left for dead after an 8-game losing streak at 8-18, this team never quit and defined resiliency. pic.twitter.com/MuYO7Esp1U

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) April 7, 2019

The Nets handed their franchise to Sean Marks, who is being hailed for his effort in resurrecting the franchise. The Nets had early playoff exits from 2012-2014, and they failed to make the playoffs in the next three seasons after losing in the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs.

D'Angelo Russell is having the best season of his young career, proving that he is one of the most promising stars in the league. The 23-year-old guard, who was the second overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2015 NBA Draft, averaged 21.2 points on top of 7.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game this season.

Against the Pacers, Russell led the way again for Brooklyn, finishing with 20 points on top of six rebounds and six assists. Joe Harris also had a solid night with 19 points, while Caris LeVert and Spencer Dinwiddie added 18 and 12 points off the bench, respectively.