Red and gold were everywhere Wednesday night at Barclays Center. So were the reminders that, for all the celebration surrounding the Lunar New Year and the final game before the All-Star break, there was still basketball left to play.
The Nets closed the first portion of their schedule against the Indiana Pacers as part of their annual Chinese New Year game, an event that’s become one of the organization’s most vibrant nights of the season. The holiday is folded into the franchise’s broader effort to spotlight the communities that shape Brooklyn, and this year’s theme, the Year of the Horse, stretched from the concourse to center court.
There was plenty to take in. A limited-edition merchandise line inspired by the Chinese zodiac. Cultural activations modeled after traditional gathering spaces. Culinary booths, milk tea sampling stations, themed performances, even player introductions delivered in Chinese. Chinese singer and actor Will Liu took the floor at halftime, while Team Hype and the Brooklynettes leaned into the celebration throughout the night.
Head coach Jordi Fernández appreciated the scale of it all.
“As an organization, we’re excited to support the culture,” Fernández said. “The Year of the Horse brings great energy, not just into the building but to all the fans. We’re very happy to embrace that part of the culture and make it a special day.”
Brooklyn entered the night with momentum, depending on who you ask, having won two straight and three of its last six, with recent victories over Utah, Washington and Chicago. But the standings remain tight at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and the Pacers, coming off a win Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, were navigating a similar situation.
Both teams were also dealing with absences. Indiana ruled out eight players, including Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell, Pascal Siakam and Aaron Nesmith. The Nets were without Michael Porter Jr., Nic Claxton and Noah Clowney.
Claxton’s absence was about preservation as much as anything. The veteran center scored a career-high 28 points in Monday’s win over Chicago.
“It’s probably just the result of him playing extremely hard, playing over 30 minutes and having a great game,” Fernández said of the center’s hip soreness. “It’s important we keep him healthy, important he goes into the break, gets his body right, and when he comes back, he’s full go.”
Looking ahead is unavoidable this time of year. Bags are packed. Families are waiting. Players know a few days away are coming.
Fernández didn’t want any of that creeping into the present. The building celebrated culture, and once the final buzzer sounded, the schedule would pause. The focus, he said, still had to stay here.
“Sometimes it’s human nature to look ahead, but it shouldn’t be,” Fernández said. “You’re in the NBA. The games keep coming. We’ll have a well-deserved break, and the festivities are important for the league, but then you come back and you still have 29 games. The approach should be the same. Lock into this game and especially knowing you’re going to have time with friends and family to recharge, it’s even more important that we get better tonight.”
