The Nets were cruising toward their best win of the year. Then they got routed by arguably the best team in the league.

Brooklyn has had the best defense in the NBA over the past month, and Nic Claxton is both figuratively and literally the biggest reason why.

Ever since buying out Ben Simmons, the Nets have had a backup point guard problem. And an unlikely solution has emerged to solve it. 

The Nets blew a late lead in a 107-99 loss to the tanking Wizards at Capital One Arena on Monday, their second defeat at the hands of the worst team in basketball.

Since acquiring D’Angelo Russell, the Nets had been a winless 0-6 without him. That was until Saturday and Trendon Watford’s endgame heroics.

Nets center Nic Claxton’s putback layup just beat the buzzer — and beat the 76ers, 105-103, on Saturday night.

PHILADELPHIA — D’Angelo Russell’s importance as the Nets’ leader and so-called alpha is clearest when they struggle without him. And Brooklyn will be without him for Saturday’s game in Philadelphia, sidelined with a sprained right ankle. The Nets are winless without Russell since his arrival, and it remains to be seen just how long he’ll...

Just get it right.

Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn’t part of a wild trade deadline that saw stars such as Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, Jimmy Butler, De’Aaron Fox and Brandon Ingram on the move. But could Milwaukee’s superstar — and the Nets’ top target — move this summer? For the rebuilding Nets, flexibility has been a top priority. They’ve hoarded those...

It’s been a long climb, culminating in a 10-day contract with the Nets for Killian Hayes. It’s a short-term, show-me type of deal — one he’s thankful to have.

The Nets just lost the one player they couldn’t afford to lose. Now, it remains to be seen how long until they get back D’Angelo Russell.

The Nets have been going through one of the league’s worst shooting funks recently. But they say the impending return of Cam Thomas will change that.

The Nets are finalizing a new contract with two-way forward Tyrese Martin ahead of Thursday night’s game against Cleveland, sources told The Post. 

He will now not appear for the Nets at all this season.

The Nets are coming out of the All-Star break, which marked the proverbial — if not literal — midway point of the season.

In this Brooklyn return, D'Angelo Russell is convinced the Nets can make an even more shocking postseason run than his last time here.

The Nets have already used 21 players, with some having been waived, traded (Dennis Schröder, Dorian Finney-Smith) and bought out (Ben Simmons). Others they’ve brought in have essentially been sidelined since arriving.

With the NBA at its All-Star break, The Post’s hoops writers examine the key questions from the first half and forecast the rest of the season (and offseason).

Maxwell Lewis was finally active again in the Nets’ finale before the break, logging a 27-second cameo near the end of a 100-96 win over the 76ers.

It’s not even the All-Star break yet, and the Nets have already won more games than they were supposed to all season. Get used to it, they say.