Depleted Nets hammered by Celtics to fall further back in battle for No. 6 spot

The Nets got here out of the break the identical manner they went in: Decimated and defeated.

Opening the proverbial second half of the season Thursday, shorthanded Brooklyn acquired drilled 129-106 by Boston earlier than a sellout crowd of 17,986 at Barclays Middle.

“I instructed the fellows we had two nice days of observe, and [Thursday] I don’t assume we acquired higher,” coach Steve Nash stated. “I don’t care concerning the consequence, however we may’ve performed higher. We may’ve made much less errors. We may’ve completed a number of issues that might’ve made [this] extra productive. That’s all it's.

“We acknowledge we’re shorthanded. We all know we’re sending these guys on the market and asking them to do greater than they’re accustomed to doing, and that’s robust. … We’ve requested them to maintain their spirits excessive and work and that was clearly on show in observe. [Thursday] we wanted a little bit bit extra.”

The loss’ predictability didn’t make it any much less damaging. Whereas that is known as the second half of the season, the Nets (31-29) actually have little greater than 1 / 4 of the marketing campaign left, and a complete lot of floor to make up briefly order.

Seth Curry, who had a team-high 22 factors, appears to maintain possession as he drives between Celtics defenders in the course of the Nets’ 129-106 loss.

Corey Sipkin

Brooklyn is mired in eighth place within the East, with the defeat dropping them 3 ½ video games behind Boston for the sixth spot and assured playoff berth. And winners of 10 of their final 11, these Celtics haven’t proven any indicators of giving it up. The Nets are going to must seize it.

However after Thursday’s defeat, they’ve stumbled even deeper into the play-in. Brooklyn — simply 4-18 since Kevin Durant acquired damage — is 2 ½ video games behind seventh-place Toronto, whom they play a home-and-home towards Monday and Tuesday of this coming week.

“We perceive the state of affairs we’re in,” Nash stated. “We all know there’s urgency. We all know we’re not going to have half a season to determine this factor out.

Cam Thomas goes up for a layup as Al Horford defends in the course of the Nets’ loss to the Celtics.

Corey Sipkin

“We’re up towards the clock, and our guys have been nice as a result of there’s lots of stress and circumstances that make it tough. They’re dropping within the standings however their spirit has been excellent. That’s the spirit of taking it daily, recreation by recreation, attempting to enhance. On the identical time, we acknowledge the state of affairs that we’re in.”

Seth Curry had 22 factors and 7 boards, each workforce highs, however James Johnson shot simply 2 of 12 and a clearly drained Patty Mills went 0 of 9.

“There was lots of stuff happening on the ground. They beat us in lots of completely different areas, so it’s laborious to say what precise errors we made,” Curry stated. “That’s a great workforce that we simply we didn’t match what they had been doing on each ends of the ground from the get-go.”

The Nets — who noticed seven Celtics rating in double figures, led by Jayson Tatum’s game-high 30 — may get reinforcements subsequent week. And contemplating they've a visit to defending champion Milwaukee looming on Saturday, it will probably’t come quickly sufficient.

Durant, Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons, Joe Harris and Goran Dragic — a beginning 5 that might play for a title — had been all out Thursday. Whereas some are nearer to taking the courtroom than others, none had been round towards the streaking Celtics.

The final time the Nets confronted Boston again on Feb. 8, they dug a 28-2 gap and trailed by as a lot as 35 factors. This wasn’t fairly that ugly, however it was one-sided.

The Nets opened taking pictures 4 of 14 from the ground, falling behind 22-10 when Derrick White discovered Grant Williams for a operating layup.

It grew to 48-26 on White’s free throw with 9:35 left within the half.

The Nets by no means acquired nearer than a dozen the remainder of the way in which, falling again behind by 29 on Williams’ 3 to make it 115-86 halfway by means of the fourth.

Slumping badly, they’re pinning their hopes on well being.

“That’s it. That’s No. 1, 2, 3 and 4,” Nash stated. “We may’ve performed higher, however we may’ve performed higher on nights when we have now all people, too. … On this league, you flip it, you're taking the Celtics and take 4 of their starters out, it’s a distinct look.”