A drummer shouted from the other side of the arena – possibly to a team of break dancers – “You all look crazy over there.” In previous years, his voice would not have come this far.
Just before launch, Nets premiered a video of players speaking the lyrics to Bill Withers’ classic, “Ain’t No Sunshine”, dedicated to absent fans. Then, the Nets guard, Kyrie Irving, waved to the crowd on both sides of the court; in an arena with hundreds instead of thousands, fans could be forgiven for thinking that Irving was waving at them individually.
“It felt like you were sitting in your living room,” said Dylan Schultz, 27. “I’m just sitting with my friend. There are not many people around me. But there is still that game environment right in front of you. You could hear them talking. Sick.”
Some in the building tried to maintain traditions, such as trying to stop the opponent’s free-throw shot. On Tuesday, that effort – usually made by thousands of fans shouting and waving objects – fell to four drummers behind the basket, occasionally accompanied by the five dancers. (Statistically speaking, they could claim success: the Kings hit 13 of 19 on the line, just below the season average.)
Regarding the game itself, the Nets led the most and won the seventh consecutive time, 127-118. Bruce Brown, the starting point guard, had a rare turn in the spotlight, scoring 29 points, as did James Harden, who made a triple-double: 29 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists.
For the most part, the crowd – scattered across the seats on the courts, in the luxurious suites and on the lower level – remained contained, despite having the most happening Nets team in years to attend in person.
“It looks like you’re watching a training session,” said Rich Schaefer, 42, who has a season ticket. “You are in a high school gym and there is no one there. But you are watching the best players in the world. It is not the same energy that you get during sold-out games. But there is something incredible, like a basketball fan, about watching and listening to everyone talking and not being distracted by what’s going on around you. “