Nets clinch first NBA playoff berth since 2014-15

The Brooklyn Nets are heading to the NBA postseason for the first time since 2014-15 after defeating the Indiana Pacers.

Brooklyn ended their playoff drought thanks to Sunday's 108-96 win over the Pacers in Indiana, where they had lost seven successive games dating back to March 2015.

All-Star point guard D'Angelo Russell scored 20 points as the Nets recovered from an 8-18 record to start the season – improving to 41-10 in the Eastern Conference.

"It's an amazing feeling man," Russell told YES Network. "We've got a great group of guys. Great coaching staff. I think it's the best group to do this with man. It's a lot of our first times doing it. It's going to be a blast, I'm excited.

PLAYOFFS ON THREE! PLAYOFFS ON THREE! ONE! TWO! THREE! PLAYOFFS#WEGOHARD pic.twitter.com/HzW9ozxUy5

— x-Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 7, 2019

"We knew what it was going to take. Honestly we knew what we had to do. We knew how we were going to come together collectively and do it as a group. And that's the outcome for us. The result was what we deserve."

Russell, 23, made his first All-Star team this season. He leads the Nets in points (21.1) and assists per game (seven) in 2018-19 and has been a driving force behind Brooklyn's success.

BROOKLYN STAND UP!!!!!! WE ARE PLAYOFF-BOUND!!!!!!!!!!!#WEGOHARD #BETONBROOKLYN pic.twitter.com/mqKLRsnnoi

— x-Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 7, 2019

The Nets are sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. They will likely have a tough first-round playoff matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors or Philadelphia 76ers.