By WFAN.com
The Nets are playoff bound, a sign that general manager Sean Marks' rebuilding job is on the right track, if not running ahead of schedule.
Brooklyn locked up a playoff spot Sunday night with a 108-96 win over the Indiana Pacers, but the architect of the Nets' roster was quick to deflect praise during an appearance Monday on WFAN's "Benigno and Roberts."
"I'm very, very fortunate, and it starts with the group that we have here," Marks said. "Because by no means is it one person making decisions. I think this is such a collaborative effort here."
The Nets were not a fashionable playoff pick in the preseason -- and even less so after they stumbled to an 8-18 start. But they then found their footing and won 20 of 26. Brooklyn is currently 41-40 and in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
"You could tell the guys just needed to get over the cusp, and they were really close then," Marks said of the slow start. "And it's a credit to the players and the coaching staff because they never gave up. ... They just kept grinding and grinding and grinding away and pounding at that rock, and next thing you know you go on a nice little win streak here, and then mid-December, all of a sudden, the tide's turned a little bit."
And, of course, Marks gave plenty of credit to coach Kenny Atkinson, whom he hired three years ago.
"Kenny's done a terrific job. Absolutely terrific," Marks said. "And it's been great to see how he's continued to improve, adapt, trust staff members, trust himself and stay true to who he is. Nothing's changed. With Kenny, what I love about him, you see what he is. He's grinding away on the court every single day. He puts in the long hours and so forth, and he right now epitomizes what this team stands for, which is competing on a nightly basis."
The Nets will face either the Philadelphia 76ers or Toronto Raptors in the first round. Marks said he's not concerned about who the opponent might be. For him, it's more about the big picture.
"It's another great little stepping stone in how we're trying to build this," Marks said. "You have to try and go through teams that have had success, and they'll show you how to perform, how to prepare and so forth."
Looking ahead to the offseason, Marks was asked if re-signing impending free agent D'Angelo Russell will be his top priority. The GM danced around the question some, but did compliment the All-Star point guard.
"I think D'Angelo has shown that he's a Net, and what he's done out there for this whole year, he bought in completely," Marks said. "His leadership skills have continued to grow and so forth. ... D'Angelo will have decisions to make. Obviously we, as an organization, will have decisions to make. But there's something to be said for keeping your own guys, developing your own guys and continuity within the offense and so forth. But as you know, this is one of those businesses that things change quickly."
To listen to the interview, click on the audio player above.
