Nets midseason progress report with grades

At the midpoint of the NBA season, The Post's Nets beat writer Tim Bontemps takes an in-depth look at the team and gives us grades from the first half.

CRUCIAL STRETCH

The Nets will face the Hawks at Barclays Center on March 17 before embarking on an eight-game West Coast trip that will keep them away from Brooklyn until April 4.

KEY COACHING DECISION

Reggie Evans has played fairly well in the starting lineup, but the Nets lack offensive spacing when he's on the floor. Carlesimo will have to consider whether Evans' incredible rebounding numbers make up for that.

QUESTIONS THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED

Will the Nets make a move? There's no doubt the Nets are looking around in the days leading up to Thursday's trade deadline. But with limited assets — notably Kris Humphries, a free agent after next season, and sophomore MarShon Brooks — can they make an addition to try to bolster their playoff hopes?

PLAYER WHO NEEDS TO STEP UP

The reason the Nets are 2 **1/2** games behind the Knicks in the Atlantic Division, more than anything, is because Carmelo Anthony has played like a franchise player and Deron Williams has not. The Nets need the Williams of old in the final couple months of the season.

PREDICTION: 49-33. Atlantic Division winner. Third in Eastern Conference. Lose to Pacers in second round.

3 THINGS that need to happen for Nets to make the Finals:

1. Star point guard Deron Williams must play like one — something he's done rarely this season — to hang with top-flight teams.

2. If anything has defined the Nets this season, it's been their wild swings from terrific to terrible. A deep playoff run requires a sustained level of excellence this team has yet to prove it can maintain.

3. The Nets need to avoid running teams for as long as possible in the playoffs. They have gone 7-4 against slow, methodical teams in the Knicks, Bulls, Pacers and Celtics. They are 0-5 against the Heat and Bucks, who prefer the game to be a track meet.

SCHEDULE WITH 5 KEY GAMES

Date+Opponent+Time

Feb. 19+Milwaukee+7:30

Feb. 20+at Milwaukee+8:00

>>>Feb. 22+Houston+7:30

>>>Feb. 24+Memphis+7:00

Feb. 26+at New Orleans+8:00

Mar. 1+Dallas+8:00

Mar. 2+at Chicago+8:00

Mar. 6+at Charlotte+7:00

Mar. 8+Washington+7:30

Mar. 9+at Atlanta+7:00

Mar. 11+at Philadelphia+7:00

Mar. 12+New Orleans+7:30

Mar. 17+Atlanta+8:00

Mar. 18+at Detroit+7:30

>>>Mar. 20+at Dallas+8:00

Mar. 23+at Clippers+10:30

Mar. 24+at Phoenix+9:00

Mar. 27+at Portland+10:30

Mar. 29+at Denver+9:00

Mar. 30+at Utah+9:00

Apr. 3+at Cleveland+7:00

>>>Apr. 4+Chicago+7:00

Apr. 6+Charlotte+7:30

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