MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ja Morant got here into Monday because the NBA’s prime scorer. And the Nets performed like one of many league’s worst defenses.
The outcome was predictable and ugly, the Nets blowing a third-quarter lead and dropping 134-124 to the Grizzlies earlier than a crowd of 17,392 at FedEx Discussion board.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving every had 37 factors, however the Nets squandered that with a protection that fell into disorganization and disarray.
Brooklyn allowed a 23-5 run to open the third quarter, and watched Morant and Desmond Bane every end the night time with game-highs of 38 factors.
“We misplaced our focus a bit of bit, particularly beginning the third,” Steve Nash stated. “We gave up 45 within the third: That was it. We had a five-point lead on the half, we hand over 45 within the third.
“We had a lead, then 45 is an excessive amount of. We tried to catch up and had a pair probabilities, however simply too many pockets of the sport the place we didn’t play properly sufficient.”
The Nets have been outscored 45-28 in a 3rd quarter that noticed solely two buckets from Nets not named Durant. They misplaced their seventh straight towards the Grizzlies, who shot 16 of 34 from 3-point vary. Bane was 8 of 11 from deep.
“An excessive amount of sloppiness. We had too many errors, lack of self-discipline at occasions, after which they bought sizzling. It’s one factor to make errors after they miss 3’s. Once they make all of them, it’s gonna be actually exhausting to remain within the recreation,” Nash stated.
“That’s the secret now,” stated Durant. “Even for those who’re not enjoying properly or as much as par along with your opponent for those who’re making 3.s you give your self an opportunity.”
However the Nets weren’t as much as par, at the least not for lengthy sufficient.
Ben Simmons was invisible, fouling out with seven factors and eight rebounds, however a game-worst minus-16.
The Nets trailed 27-21 with 3:47 to go within the first quarter, and Morant already had 15 factors on 5 of 5 taking pictures. He repeatedly break up coverages, threw a lob to Brandon Clarke for a highlight-reel dunk, and was an absolute menace.
The Nets trailed 39-34 after one, and it grew to 49-41 with 10:06 left within the half.
“It’s an effort factor after all; however now it’s the psychological facet that we have now to develop as a group. What’s going to make us tick, what’s going to be our pulse, particularly on the defensive finish?” Irving requested rhetorically. “If you hand over 39 factors within the first quarter and 45 factors within the third, that’s simply not a trait of an important group on the defensive finish.”
The Nets did settle in, reeling off 10 unanswered factors, a sequence of nice ball motion ending with a Joe Harris 3 for a 51-49 lead with 7:49 within the half.
Irving pushed the result in 5 with a Euro step and lefty end, and the Nets took a 69-64 edge into the locker room. Nevertheless it didn’t final.
Memphis charged out of the break and seized the momentum for good.
The Nets surrendered a 23-5 run to open the second half. They shot simply 2 of 9 with a few Simmons turnovers, and let Memphis hit 8 of 12 on the opposite finish.
The Nets fell behind 87-74 on a Morant free throw with 6:24 left within the third interval. By the point Morant baited Simmons into his sixth and last foul with 3:52 left and the Nets have been down 124-118, the sport was over.
“Generally we’re indecisive on some stuff,” Durant stated. “Some stuff we must be switching, one man is on one web page, one man is on one other. Generally our communication is off and within the league if a group sees you make a mistake they capitalize.”
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