The 76ers got their 28th win of the year against the Brooklyn Nets, equaling their total over the last two seasons. But the 76ers biggest win over the last couple years has been the branding of their rebuilding. The Sixers had the smarts and nerve to celebrate their (temporary) ineptitude by calling it “The Process” — and getting fans to buy in. Philly even sells “Trust the Process” t-shirts. In a world increasingly accustomed to on-demand satisfaction, patience is a hard commodity to sell and the Sixers deserve credit for the job they’ve done.
The woeful Nets could use a similar branding campaign. With a new coach, new GM and new point guard this year, the rebuilding project is going to take time. And when Jeremy Lin shoots 4-of-14 in 29 minutes like he did against Philly, it seems like it might take forever. Because the fact is that if Lin doesn’t excel, the Nets have very little chance of getting a win. Even when he does excel, it’s an uphill climb. The Nets are 16-58, worse even that the very modest expectations GM Sean Marks began the season with. Lin has been terrific when he’s not hurt. But the Nets need a name for their “Process” so fans can have something to buy into.
