INDIANAPOLIS — Earlier than the twentieth sport of the Nets’ season, Jacque Vaughn stated his workforce wanted to concentrate on its consistency. Vaughn stated he needed to see “full video games, 48 minutes, collectively on a extra constant foundation.”
After which the Nets demonstrated precisely what has so pissed off their head coach — and demonstrated loads of frustration themselves within the course of.
The Nets led by 12 within the first quarter, 65-57 at halftime and by six coming into the fourth in a sport that was wildly encouraging till it wasn’t. Vaughn’s workforce once more couldn't discover 48 minutes of consistency, as an alternative discovering 12 ultimate minutes of frustration and anger.
The Nets collapsed and unraveled in an unsightly, tense fourth quarter in a 128-117 loss to the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday night time. The Nets (Sept. 11) once more failed to succeed in the .500 mark, which they haven't seen since they have been 1-1.
The Pacers used a 17-4 burst within the first 5 and half minutes of the fourth quarter to grab a sport that had not been theirs.
Bennedict Mathurin (20 factors) hit a pair of 3s early within the fourth, his first tying it, 96-96, and his second giving the Pacers a lead they'd not relinquish with 8:53 left.
Buddy Hield’s 3-pointer midway via the interval made it 108-98, unthinkable just some minutes earlier than. The Nets couldn't maintain the Pacers from open seems; couldn't maintain them away from the rim; couldn't cease hacking on their drives.
The Pacers went 30 of 38 from the road. The Nets went 8 of 10.
“You gotta not foul,” Vaughn stated of his workforce that was known as for 28 fouls, in contrast with the Pacers’ 11. “For us, you’ve gotta be disciplined sufficient. You’re on the street, you'll be able to’t count on any calls.”
Kevin Durant stated the free-throw disparity “is what it's.” Ben Simmons, who was dominant for 3 quarters till a silent fourth, restrained himself in regards to the officiating.
“Making an attempt to maintain my cash,” stated Simmons, who tallied 20 factors on 8 of 8 taking pictures with six rebounds and three assists earlier than fouling out. “I really feel like we must always have gotten to the road much more.”
The Nets’ frustration culminated with Durant — who scored 20 factors within the fourth to maintain the Nets alive — hitting a jumper at 4:20 to make it 117-109 whereas getting hit within the face, and not using a whistle blown. The whistle blew a second later, as Durant yelled at an official — “I used to be too loud with him,” Durant stated later, “and I used to be too demonstrative. I didn’t curse at him” — and acquired teed up.
The Nets’ anger continued with 3:38 to play, when Nic Claxton shoved Tyrese Haliburton to the bottom earlier than operating again on protection. Haliburton acquired up seemingly able to struggle and needed to be held again. Claxton was given a Flagrant 1 for “pointless contact” in a sport that had gotten out of hand.
“It’s not a tough basketball sport for us,” stated Kyrie Irving, who scored 20 factors on 8 of 17 taking pictures. “We've got the expertise offensively, however defensively and offensive boards, they’re nonetheless one thing we convey up day-to-day. Till we repair it, we’re going to run into these groups the place they’re going to crash the boards each single time.”
The Nets have been outscored 40-23 within the fourth quarter, the majority of the Pacers’ early run coming in opposition to Brooklyn subs. Joe Harris, particularly, seemed a step gradual defensively and missed all three of his 3-point makes an attempt within the sport.
Durant, who completed with 36 factors, was the one Internet with a bucket within the interval.
“Okay did his greatest to maintain us within the sport,” Irving stated after his fourth sport again from suspension. “You gotta give him credit score, however we gotta nonetheless be there to assist him.”
The Nets wasted a close to excellent night time from the resurgent Simmons, a 6-for-6 sport from Claxton and an total 53.4 p.c taking pictures mark from the sphere.
Within the sport’s vital moments, their protection failed earlier than their feelings adopted.
Subsequent up shall be a major, seven-game homestand that begins Sunday in opposition to the Path Blazers.
“We need to win each sport, that’s how we method it,” stated Durant, who stated he was not involved a couple of workforce that's underneath .500 a couple of quarter of the way in which into the season. “We will’t recover from that [.500] hump. … We maintain pushing, maintain preventing.”
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