Erik Slater Articles - Page 42

Ben Simmons’ return to Philadelphia dominated headlines heading into Tuesday’s Nets-76ers matchup. Sixers fans lived up to the billing, relentlessly booing Simmons from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Despite this, the former 76er showed up and played inspired, efficient basketball. The problem for the Nets was none of his teammates did the same. […]

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn provided injury updates on TJ Warren and Yuta Watanabe ahead of Tuesday’s matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Nets ruled out Watanabe with hamstring tightness Tuesday. The 28-year-old, who signed a non-guaranteed contract with Brooklyn this summer, has been one of the feel-good storylines of the NBA over the […]

Ben Simmons was asked Tuesday if Joel Embiid’s absence from his highly-anticipated return to Philadelphia takes away from the hype surrounding the game. “The fans will make up for it,” he replied with a laugh. “I’m looking forward to it. It’s gonna be fun.” Simmons will take the floor at Wells Fargo Center Tuesday for […]

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving trotted out to a deafening roar from the Barclays Center crowd Sunday during his first pregame introduction following an eight-game suspension. On a day where Irving’s apology for posts linking to an antisemitic film made morning headlines, the focus surprisingly shifted toward basketball Sunday night. Brooklyn defeated the Memphis Grizzlies […]

Attacking the rim, pushing the pace, grabbing rebounds, creating for teammates, defending – this is the Ben Simmons the Brooklyn Nets envisioned for the 2022-23 season. What was labeled as the Kyrie Irving return game turned into the Simmons show Sunday night. The first-year Net continued his breakout in a 127-115 win over Memphis, posting […]

Kyrie Irving will return to the Brooklyn Nets’ starting lineup Sunday after an eight-game suspension. The Nets posted a 5-3 record without Irving, who has been at the center of a month-long media circus following his posts of an antisemitic film. Irving issued a lengthy public apology before Brooklyn listed the guard as available for […]

Kyrie Irving will officially return to the Brooklyn Nets from his eight-game suspension Sunday vs. the Memphis Grizzlies. The team suspended the seven-time All-Star on Nov. 3 for his posts linking to an antisemitic film, deeming the guard “unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.” Irving addressed the media Sunday for the first time since […]

Following a 2021-22 season in which the Brooklyn Nets were in desperate need of wings, they decided to take a flier on Yuta Watanabe this offseason. Watanabe, a 28-year-old from Japan, played four years at George Washington before going undrafted in 2018. The forward spent two seasons with Memphis bouncing between the G-League and NBA […]

Questions surrounding Ben Simmons’ slow start had ramped up in recent weeks for the Brooklyn Nets. With Simmons averaging just 5.2 points on 5.0 shots per game heading into this week, a 6-8 Nets squad that already fired its head coach and suspended All-Star guard Kyrie Irving was searching for answers. A Tuesday report from […]

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving is expected to return from suspension Sunday vs. the Memphis Grizzlies, according to Shams Charania. Irving will miss his eighth consecutive game Thursday when the Nets wrap up a four-game West Coast trip in Portland against the Blazers. Brooklyn issued Irving a five-game minimum suspension on Nov. 3 after his […]

Suspended Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving could return to the team as early as Sunday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Irving is expected to miss his eighth straight game Thursday but is said to be nearing the completion of a return-to-play framework. “Kyrie is continuing his journey of dialogue and education,” National Basketball Players Association executive […]

The Brooklyn Nets were riding high after defeating the Clippers Saturday for their fourth win in five games. But the two games since that win over Los Angeles on Saturday night could not have trended further in the opposite direction. The Nets lost by double digits to a 2-10 Lakers team Sunday before being demolished […]

Tuesday night was a disaster for Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets. The Sacramento Kings demolished the Nets, 153-121, in a game that saw the visitors trail by as many as 39 points. The 153 points are the most allowed by the Nets in franchise history. The historic loss, Brooklyn’s second straight, comes after recent […]

For the second time in three days, National Basketball Players Association vice president Jaylen Brown called out Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai amid Kyrie Irving’s suspension. Irving will miss his seventh consecutive game Tuesday after Brooklyn suspended the guard for his repeated refusal to apologize for posts linking to an antisemitic film. When asked Saturday […]

Like their summer, the Brooklyn Nets’ start to the 2022-23 season has been a tumultuous ride. From Steve Nash’s firing to Kyrie Irving’s suspension to Ben Simmons’ early struggles, it was not an exaggeration to say you could not have scripted a worse open to the year. However, the Nets have found success as of […]

Kyrie Irving has missed the Brooklyn Nets’ last six games after the team issued the guard a five-game minimum suspension for his repeated refusal to apologize for posts linking to an antisemitic film. The five-game timeframe passed this weekend, but Irving remained suspended for Brooklyn’s matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday. According to Marc […]

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have never shied away from one another since Durant left Oklahoma City six years ago. The duo has faced off 11 times since the split. The latest came Sunday night with the Los Angeles Lakers claiming a 116-103 wire-to-wire win over the Brooklyn Nets. Durant and Westbrook spent eight seasons […]

The Brooklyn Nets ruled out Ben Simmons for the team’s matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday. Simmons recently returned from an extended absence while dealing with soreness and swelling in his left knee. The 26-year-old played in Brooklyn’s last three games after missing four the week prior. The Nets did not list Simmons on […]

Seth Curry’s breakout performance on Wednesday was the top takeaway from the Brooklyn Nets’ blowout win over the New York Knicks. For a team searching for shot creation alongside Kevin Durant, Curry’s slow recovery from offseason ankle surgery had been a hot topic. With the Nets in control against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, […]

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn has adopted this mindset with Ben Simmons returning from a knee ailment amid a Brooklyn hot streak. Vaughn said Friday that Simmons will continue to come off the bench during a back-t0-back in Los Angeles this weekend. Simmons has struggled to open the […]

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn provided injury updates on Yuta Watanabe and T.J. Warren at practice Friday. Watanabe turned in a limited practice after spraining his ankle Monday during Brooklyn’s loss at Dallas. Vaughn said Watanabe will miss the Nets’ back-to-back against the Lakers and Clippers this weekend but is “trending in the right […]

Suspended Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving had a productive meeting with team owner Joe Tsai Thursday. Brooklyn suspended Irving for a minimum of five games on Nov. 3 after his repeated refusal to apologize for posts linking to an antisemitic film. Tsai Tweeted Friday that both sides “understand each other” after the meeting and are […]

Kyrie Irving missed his fourth-straight game Wednesday amid his suspension by the Brooklyn Nets. The team suspended Irving for a minimum of five games on Nov. 3 following his repeated refusal to apologize for posts of an antisemitic film, saying the guard is “currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.” Irving apologized on […]

The crosstown New York Knicks-Brooklyn Nets “rivalry” has not lived up to that billing as of late. And that isn’t for lack of interest, but rather the fact that the matchup has been a lopsided affair for nearly three seasons. The Nets dominated New York 112-85 Wednesday for their eighth straight win over the Knicks dating […]

Nets general manager Sean Marks called newly-hired head coach Jacque Vaughn “a catalyst” for Brooklyn pregame Wednesday. “Personally, I like the way the team’s been playing. They’ve been competing at a high level. They’ve obviously rallied around each other, they’ve rallied around the coaching staff, they’ve rallied around JV,” Marks said of the hire. “He’s […]

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks called newly-hired head coach Jacque Vaughn “the catalyst” behind the team’s improved play over the last three games. After Vaughn took over as interim head coach for Steve Nash, the Nets claimed back-to-back road wins over the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets before dropping a heartbreaker against the Dallas […]

The Brooklyn Nets named Jacque Vaughn as head coach Wednesday after reports indicated they intended to hire suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka. Vaughn’s new deal extends through the 2023-24 season, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. “Jacque’s basketball acumen, competitiveness and intimate knowledge of our team and organization make him the clear-cut best person to […]

Kyrie Irving and Adam Silver met Tuesday amid the guard’s suspension by the Brooklyn Nets. NBA insider Shams Charania called the meeting “productive and understanding” for both sides, “paving the way” for Irving to work through the steps of a potential return. Brooklyn issued a five-game minimum suspension to Irving on Nov. 5 following his […]

Following a week of unprecedented drama, Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets rode into Dallas Monday on a two-game winning streak. The Nets had a chance to take down one of the West’s top teams and gain more momentum heading into a matchup with their crosstown rival. The game was a back-and-forth affair that saw […]

Just hours after the Brooklyn Nets announced the firing of head coach Steve Nash last Tuesday, breaking news emerged that the team would hire suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka to fill the vacant position. NBA insiders Shams Charania and Adrian Wojnarowski both made strong reports detailing Brooklyn’s intentions, with the latter indicating that a […]

NBA commissioner Adam Silver is expected to meet with Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving as early as Tuesday, according to Marc Stein. Silver released a statement Thursday voicing his displeasure with Irving’s refusal to apologize for his promotion of an antisemitic film. Less than an hour later, Irving again refused to apologize at Nets practice, […]

The shorthanded Brooklyn Nets may receive a significant reinforcement Monday. The Nets upgraded Ben Simmons to questionable for their upcoming road matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. Simmons missed Brooklyn’s last four games while dealing with swelling and soreness in his left knee. The three-time All-Star did not travel with the Nets for their back-to-back this […]

During the opening week of Brooklyn Nets training camp, Kevin Durant offered his thoughts on the “vibes” surrounding the team. “The vibes have been straight. But who knows what the vibes will be if we hit a skid or we’re not playing well or somebody gets injured,” Durant said. “I think that’s what makes a […]

No Kyrie Irving, no problem. In the team’s first performance since announcing Irving’s suspension Thursday, the Brooklyn Nets dismantled the Washington Wizards 128-86 Friday night at Capital One Arena. The 42-point victory is tied for the largest road win in franchise history and the third-largest overall. The win comes as a much-needed morale boost for […]

The week-long drama surrounding Kyrie Irving’s social media posts linking to an antisemitic film finally came to a head Thursday. The Brooklyn Nets announced they would suspend Irving for at least five games without pay. Irving issued an apology on Instagram hours later, to which general manager Sean Marks said he must do more. The […]

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks addressed the media at a team shootaround Friday less than a day after suspending Kyrie Irving for at least five games without pay. The suspension came after Irving repeatedly refused to apologize for linking to an antisemitic film on social media. Statement from the Brooklyn Nets pic.twitter.com/699px8XYpx — Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) […]

The Brooklyn Nets announced Thursday they have suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five games without pay after the guard’s repeated refusal to apologize for social media posts linking to an antisemitic film. Despite a statement from NBA commissioner Adam Silver less than an hour prior voicing disappointment that Irving had not apologized, the Nets guard […]

The Brooklyn Nets will be without Ben Simmons for at least their next two games, according to interim head coach Jacque Vaughn. Vaughn said at Nets practice Thursday that Simmons will not travel with the team for matchups against the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets this weekend as he deals with soreness and swelling in […]

For the first time since a heated postgame press conference Saturday, Kyrie Irving addressed the media Thursday at Brooklyn Nets practice. Irving drew an uproar over the last week in response to his social media posts linking to an antisemitic film. Despite a statement from NBA commissioner Adam Silver less than an hour prior saying […]