It was known that the Brooklyn Nets would go as far as Kyrie Irving takes them with Kevin Durant sidelined by an MCL sprain. The Nets dropped the first three games of Durant's absence, with Irving missing Tuesday's loss in San Antonio. With Irving back in the lineup Thursday against the Phoenix Suns, the engines weren't running for three quarters as Brooklyn fell behind by as many as 24 points.
They were then quickly shifted into overdrive as the guard exploded for 21 fourth-quarter points on 8-of-11 shooting to will his team within three. But it was too little, too late as three consecutive late turnovers and several other poor decisions doomed the Nets on their way to a 117-112 loss.
Kyrie went off for 21 PTS in Q4 as the Nets came close to completing a wild 24 point second half comeback. pic.twitter.com/B6n78gBnTL
— NBA (@NBA) January 20, 2023
The stretch marks the first time Brooklyn has lost four straight since the second week of the season. Irving shot just 3-of-16 in the first half Thursday. The guard's body language and engagement during those struggles could be properly characterized as lethargic, and the rest of the team followed suit.
The Nets allowed a Suns team without Devin Booker and Chris Paul to score 64 first-half points on 58.5 percent shooting. Phoenix outrebounded Brooklyn 20-9 in the half on their way to a 13-0 second-chance points advantage.
“We talked about each possession having a meaning and carrying value,” head coach Jacque Vaughn said postgame. “What are you asked upon as a teammate to do every possession? We talked about it yesterday, (our) expectations, and we just didn't come to play at the beginning of the game.”
The uninspired start is alarming for a Nets team in severe need of a victory after dropping winnable games against Oklahoma City and San Antonio. Brooklyn's struggles minus Durant have drawn comparisons to the team's 11-game losing streak after the former MVP's injury last season. Irving attempted to shut down that narrative following a loss to Oklahoma City Sunday.
“This isn’t last year at all, so the comparisons just gotta stop,” he said. “I’ll leave it up to you guys to do that, but for us, we don’t have any comparisons to last year. We just want to control our focus level and how we prepare out there.”
Irving would have been better off leaving it up to himself and his team to quell the narrative as the “focus level” he spoke of was nowhere to be found through three quarters Thursday.
Ben Simmons posted seven points, four rebounds and six assists before being ejected in the third quarter of the loss. The big man again found himself in early foul trouble, an area that has plagued him throughout this season. Simmons picked up his fifth foul on an illegal screen in the third before being called for his second technical after arguing with the referee on his way to the bench.
Ben Simmons got ejected after arguing with ref 👀 pic.twitter.com/f1JmYQwdKP
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 20, 2023
Simmons' absence down the stretch continues a theme of his missing late-game impact during Brooklyn's losing streak. The three-time All-Star was benched for the final 10 minutes of Sunday's loss against Boston after passing up an open layup. He would miss the loss to the Thunder due to back soreness before struggling in the final seven minutes Tuesday at San Antonio.
Brooklyn is now facing another potential extended losing streak with Durant sidelined given an upcoming slate that features Utah, Golden State and Philadelphia. Despite an improved supporting cast and a full-time Irving, the Nets have been unable to survive the absence of their top player, something Durant said led to his trade request after last season.
“When I went out with the injury, we lost 10 in a row, and I’m like we shouldn’t be losing some of these games we lost, regardless of who’s on the floor,” Durant said at Media Day. “And I was more so worried about how we’re approaching every day as a basketball team. I felt like we could have fought through a lot of the stuff that held us back.
“Championship teams do that. Steph Curry and the Warriors, he was injured going into the playoffs, their team still fought and won games. Luka (Doncic), he was hurt, their team still fought and won games. And I felt like we had enough talent to do that.
“And that's what rose some doubt up in my mind is that when adversity hits, can we keep pushing through it?”
KD explaining his trade request at media day:
Said he was unhappy with the team's fight with him out. Mentioned GSW and DAL fighting through injuries to Steph and Luka. Said Nets' inability to do that led to doubts in his mind.
Makes you wonder what he's thinking watching this. pic.twitter.com/KVHciak6Aa
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 20, 2023
While the script is playing out eerily similar, this season had a different feel for Brooklyn prior to Durant's injury. The Nets had won 18 of their last 20 games, the best stretch in franchise history, with Durant pushing himself to the forefront of the MVP conversation. Yet, here we are again, with the team appearing lost during an extended losing streak without the 12-time All-Star.
And after Durant's trade request and comments at Media Day, you can't help but wonder: what is he thinking watching this from home?
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