ATLANTA — Within the greatest recreation of the Nets’ season, Kevin Durant gave them the largest scoring evening of his profession. And it nonetheless wasn’t sufficient.
The Nets’ 122-115 loss to Atlanta — falling behind and losing a career-high 55 factors from Durant — dropped them to tenth within the East.
“We didn’t play a superb ballgame. I can’t actually sugarcoat it,” stated the at all times upbeat Steve Nash, who may often sugarcoat a lump of coal on Christmas.
However not tumbling from eighth to tenth with the loss, and from a double-elimination scenario needing only a lone win to clinch the playoffs now into a frightening single-elimination nightmare having to win not as soon as however twice.
Or his Nets coughing up a 14-0 run and by no means main once more. Or flushing Durant’s profession evening by committing undisciplined reach-in after reach-in to give up a 49-19 edge in free throws taken. It’s onerous to spin any positives in that.
“That’s simply dangerous basketball. To present them factors like that after taking part in good protection after which growth, attain. We’ve simply obtained to be higher in that space,” stated Durant, specifying it was on the Nets, not the refs.
“It’s simply execution. If you happen to’ve obtained any person bottled up and so they go as much as shoot and proper on the final second you [reach], it’s simply undisciplined. And we try this quite a bit. Now we have guys bottled up, nice protection and we find yourself fouling proper on the finish. If we need to develop and be a greater group, that sort of stuff can’t occur.”
The Nets confirmed they need to get quite a bit higher, and don’t have a lot time to do it.
Durant shot 19-of-28 and hit a career-high 8 of 10 from deep regardless of the Hawks promoting out and blitzing him continually. And the Nets squandered it.
Kyrie Irving had 31 factors and 6 assists, however shot simply 12-of-32. No different Internet cracked double-figures, and so they struggled to carry their very own on the opposite finish when their switching caught them mismatched on bigs within the paint as properly.
“I’ve simply obtained to do a greater job down there. And what a time to enter a capturing dip as properly. I simply need to climb again out of that so we’re not placing a lot strain on [Durant] and it’s simply higher for our offense,” Irving stated.
“I take full accountability of simply holding my very own down in that submit and doing a greater job of sending my man to assist or play with out fouling. [With a 49-19 edge in free throws], these possessions matter.”
This outcome issues. And sure will much more come the postseason.
Brooklyn fell from eighth to tenth with simply 4 video games left. They’re a recreation behind Atlanta and behind the Hornets through tiebreaker. If the play-in started now, they’d be on the street at ninth-seeded Charlotte, needing to win after which defeat the loser of the 7-8 tilt (say, Cleveland or Atlanta).
The Nets knew how pivotal Saturday was, and obtained 9 fast Durant factors to leap forward 11-2.
The Nets led 34-29 on an Andre Drummond steal and dunk, however they coughed up a 14-0 run — a lot of the run with Durant off the ground — and fell behind by 9.
Trailing 57-50 with 1:26 left within the half, they surrendered the ultimate eight factors to enter the locker room down by 15.
Durant poured in 19 within the third to will them into it, and Irving’s financial institution shot obtained it to 107-106 with 2:32 to play, however Bogdan Bogdanovic made it three and Trae Younger (36 factors) hit a floater that basically ended it.
Subsequent they host Houston on Tuesday, a recreation they'll’t blow.
“Go residence, and — that is only a metaphor — you go residence, you get your bullet-proof vest, you get your handgun, you get your rocket launcher, you get your AK, you get all the pieces,” Irving stated. “You load up all of the ammo — it’s only a metaphor, individuals — and prepare for battle. And also you don’t simply reside with the outcomes, however you go on the market with a psychological focus and a no-fear angle.”
Post a Comment