The Nets drowned in defeats and humiliations

During the last two weeks, Networks have lost seven matches out of eight, which is not, considering the level of Brooklyn, very surprising. On the other hand, some differences were huge: 54 points against the Knicksbut also 53 against the Pistonsnot forgetting 37 points on the road in Los Angeles against the Clippers.

In NBA history, before the Nets, only three teams suffered two losses of 50 points or more in the same season. This is what Jordi Fernandez’s players went through in ten days…

“We have to find a way out of this”, Nick Claxton announces. “That’s not basketball. We’re supposed to be NBA players, we’re not supposed to be beat with a deficit like that. We’re not supposed to be dominated like this. It’s everyone’s fault, it’s me. And I take responsibility for it. I have to be fully engaged when I’m on the floor. We have to be better.”

The impact of transfer rumours? Bad excuse

Can we make a connection between the timing of these big losses over the past two weeks and the “trade deadline” this Thursday? Would the players focus more on their personal future and less on the floor?

“No. This only concerns certain players. No, no, the deadline has nothing to do with our performance”clearly answers the pivot, which is undoubtedly referring to Michael Porter Jr. or Cam Thomas. “We have to find a way to fight, that’s all. It’s an excuse, and a bad one at that.”

De’Ron Sharp confirms this by reminding himself of it “It’s our job and it doesn’t matter if we win or not, we have to do our best. We’re paid well to come to work every day so we have to do our job.”.

And if we have to find a positive aspect in this very bad patch, the Nets can be convinced by recent examples, especially that of the Thunder. On December 2, 2021, Marc Daigneault’s men lost to the Grizzlies by 73 points, the heaviest defeat in history. Less than four years after that record-breaking night, Oklahoma City was the best team in the league and even the NBA champion.

“You have to remember that when you’re young and you get beat up. We saw that with OKC. They lost a lot,” Dai’Ron Sharpe insists. “Two seasons ago, the Pistons lost a lot. We have to remember, after such defeats, this pain, and build it during the summer, during our career so that we don’t make the same mistakes as we get older.”