In what might need to be a best-case situation, the Nets determine to have eight video games left within the common season during which Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving may all play collectively.
Meaning there are 26 different video games, during which they might or might not have some mixture of the Massive 3 at their disposal, for the remainder of the Nets to not waste
That they had none of their three superstars obtainable Wednesday towards the Nuggets however nonetheless left the sport feeling like that they had put it to good use regardless of falling brief, 124-118.
“I feel [Wednesday] was simply an instance of having the ability to take these small wins alongside the best way when it comes to us getting a bit bit higher and placing them within the financial institution for the tip of the season,” veteran guard Patty Mills stated after the second half of a back-to-back. “However [Wednesday] felt like everybody was concerned. Everybody made an impression, the blokes that had been on the market and performed on each ends of the ground.
“It was cash within the financial institution, I feel.”
Coach Steve Nash performed the one 9 wholesome our bodies he had obtainable on his roster after Harden was a late scratch with hamstring tightness, becoming a member of Durant (sprained MCL) and Irving (native COVID-19 mandates) on the shelf. The Nets had been additionally lacking facilities Day’Ron Sharpe (non-COVID sickness) and Nic Claxton (damage administration), along with Joe Harris (ankle surgical procedure) and Paul Millsap (private).
The consequence was a mishmash rotation of gamers that may not have been overly aware of one another however performed onerous of their second recreation in as many days. They shored up their transition protection, which had price them an evening earlier than of their loss to the Lakers, and and not using a go-to scorer to defer to offensively, the Nets featured robust ball motion with six gamers scoring in double digits and 26 assists on 43 subject objectives.
“You’re simply making an attempt to play the suitable basketball, and I feel the stream that we had [Wednesday] was the stream that we want, particularly when our guys come again as a result of it’s a staff sport and having the ability to have so many guys be aggressive, it’s onerous to attempt to coach and cease sure gamers after we’re simply reacting and making the suitable performs every possession,” stated DeAndre’ Bembry, who chipped in 14 factors on 7 of 11 capturing. “So it’s extra so simply us getting higher nonetheless all year long.”
Regardless of feeling like they made necessary positive aspects throughout the recreation Wednesday, the Nets have now misplaced three straight video games and are 2-4 since Durant’s knee damage. They hope to have Harden again for a difficult five-game street journey that begins Saturday towards the Warriors, with Irving additionally obtainable for every leg, as they attempt to climate the storm with out Durant.
The Nets entered Thursday sitting in fourth place within the tight Jap Convention standings. They gained’t have an infinite runway to search out their recreation as soon as Durant, Harden and Irving are all again, which places an added significance on the video games earlier than then and taking what Mills described because the “small wins,” no matter which assorted fraction of stars the Nets might need on the courtroom.
“The objective is to proceed to maneuver this factor ahead,” Nash stated. “Win or lose, are we studying extra about ourselves, extra about one another and refining our particulars? If we do, after we get our bodies again we’ll be in a greater place for it. We’ll have realized one thing about ourselves, and we’ll be capable to say that this time was not wasted.”
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