5 Reason Brooklyn Nets Will Win Eastern Conference Title

5 Reasons Brooklyn Nets Will Win the East

The team that was formerly known as the New Jersey Nets have made quite the turnaround in franchise success in the past year.

The new-look Brooklyn Nets are now one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference after one of the biggest comeback seasons in the NBA this season. Last season, the then-New Jersey Nets were a mere 22-44. This season, however, the Nets made quite the move in the conference standings, going from near last place to fourth place this season and a 49-33 record.

First-year coach P.J. Carlesimo has this team going in the right direction, especially with the pieces that this team has added, the Nets will be a force for years to come.

Back to the 2013 NBA Playoffs. Brooklyn finds themselves down 3-2 in their series against the Chicago Bulls with a very important Game 6 looming.

They will be playing at the United Center on Thursday night in Chicago, looking to do the improbable and beat the fifth-seeded Bulls on the road.

Point guard Deron Williams is playing great thus far while Joe Johnson could use a hot streak of his own, as he has been slumping a bit when it comes to shooting in the playoffs.

Brooklyn has the pieces to make a strong run in the playoffs and come out on top in the Eastern Conference. Here are five reasons why the Nets will do just that.

Connor Muldowney is a columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connormuldowney, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

The Bulls are a Great Test

The Chicago Bulls are not an easy team to beat by any means. If Brooklyn pulls out a series victory over the Bulls, they will be in good enough shape and battle-tested enough to make a deep run in the playoffs and win the East.

Top-Notch Defense

The Nets, like many teams in the playoffs, have one of the best defenses in the league. Their big guys -- Brook Lopez and Reggie Evans -- are tough to move down low and that contributes to most of their success.

Deron Williams Stepped His Game Up

Deron Williams is one of the best point guards in the world. He has received some criticism for his under-achieving play in recent seasons, but with his play in these playoffs, he has returned to form. His 20.6 points and 8.2 assists are pretty impressive.

Joe Johnson Could Catch Fire

Joe Johnson is averaging over 16 points a game in these playoffs, but his shooting is not up to par. If given enough time to break out of his mini shooting slump, the Nets will be hard to beat.

Brook Lopez is Force Down Low

Like I said before, Brook Lopez is just a force down low. He is a beast in the paint and the immovable object that he has become is averaging 23.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game in the 2013 playoffs. Yeah, try stopping that.