The Nets misplaced their poise down the stretch in Sunday’s 102-101 loss to the Orlando Magic at Kia Heart. Their lack of veteran management confirmed when it mattered most, and soured what ought to have been a giant highway win towards one of many higher groups within the Jap Convention.
“It was a clear sign of not being mature,” head coach Jordi Fernandz stated. “Obviously the consistency, the focus, but it’s basically, you do so many good things in the first half, then you put [out] the worst performance you can put [out], and you act like you don’t care on the defensive end.”
The whole lot was clicking for Brooklyn on offense early. It shot 58.3% within the first half, made 9 3-pointers, had 15 assists on 21 discipline targets and constructed a 61-43 lead. Cam Thomas and Noah Clowney have been rolling on offense. It was the kind of sport the Nets most likely ought to have run away with simply.
The Nets led by as many as 21 factors within the third quarter and have been up by 17 factors with 7:16 left in regulation, courtesy of three straight Jalen Wilson treys. In moments like that, mature groups — the most effective groups — know the best way to preserve their toes on the gasoline, search top quality shoots and preserve defensive focus.
As an alternative, from that time on, the Nets went 0-for-7 from the sphere with 5 turnovers. Their final 4 factors of the sport have been scored by Wilson on the free throw line. The Magic ended the sport on a 22-4 run and outscored Brooklyn 34-18 within the last body.
“We just needed one more grown up to bring the guys together and calm everybody down and execute on the defensive end and win the game, and it didn’t happen. So, I put that on all the guys on our team that are over 23 years old. Those were our grownups. And if you cannot do that, it’s going to be tough.”
Whereas Cam Thomas scored a game-high 25 factors in his return from a 13-game absence, the Nets performed with out Trendon Watford and Ziaire Williams on Sunday. Veterans Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton have been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier within the afternoon. D’Angelo Russell, who was acquired in Sunday’s sport, was not accessible. Dennis Schröder was traded to the Golden State Warriors earlier within the month.
Cam Johnson didn’t play within the fourth quarter due to left hip soreness, and different veterans resembling Nic Claxton and Ben Simmons have been just about non-existent within the last body. The veterans that may often information Brooklyn by way of these late-game eventualities have been gone or injured. Those that remained didn’t step up when the staff wanted them to.
Orlando shot 50% from the sphere within the fourth quarter and 46.2% from deep. Wilson scored 13 factors in his final 11:09 on the courtroom, however Thomas went 1-for-7 in his last 7:37, together with a missed 3-pointer from the left nook on the buzzer.
“We just didn’t execute well,” Thomas stated. “I don’t think it was the grownup thing or anything like that, I just think we have to execute. We played enough games to know what we have to do at the end of games, getting in different sets, execute. And sometimes the ball just doesn’t go in at the end.”
Conditions like these are why veterans resembling Schröder, Finney-Smith and Milton will likely be missed over the Nets’ last 50 regular-season video games. There’s a good likelihood Johnson will likely be passed by the Feb. 6 commerce deadline, too.
For the gamers that stay, particularly the kids, the remainder of this season will function a worthwhile studying expertise. Now they have to discover ways to end video games, the best way to make the fitting play in clutch moments and put their group in the most effective place to win. This season was about growth from the beginning. It’s time for them to develop up.
“There’s opportunities for someone else, that’s the bright side,” Fernandez stated. “Those guys will play in the NBA, which is not easy because there’s limited spots in the NBA. And, again, life goes on.”
