The Brooklyn Nets' last two starts could be summed up using two words: uninspired and unfocused. Brooklyn fell behind by 18 and 19 points early in wins over the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons. The team emphasized the importance of opening with greater urgency heading into Wednesday's matchup with the Golden State Warriors.
“(There) definitely has to be an increased level of focus and readiness,” head coach Jacque Vaughn said after Tuesday's practice. “You don’t want to go into a game and dig yourself into a hole like we had the last two games double digits because might not be any digging your way out are those.”
Veteran forward Royce O’Neale added, “We’ve gotta raise our level of play. The way we’ve been playing sometimes, we can’t come out with a lack of energy. We’ve gotta set the tone from jump and we’ve gotta execute.”
That message resonated with the rest of the team against a shorthanded Warriors squad on Wednesday. Brooklyn outscored Golden State 91-40 in the first half on their way to a 143-113 win.
The 91 points are a Nets franchise record for points in any half and mark the third-most scored in a first half in NBA history. The 40-point margin was the biggest halftime advantage in franchise history as well. It was also the 15th 40-point halftime lead in NBA history.
The Nets shot 35-of-49 (71.4 percent) from the field and 13-of-19 (68.4 percent) from three in the half. Kevin Durant led the way with 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting.
Durant finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists. The former MVP is having one of the best starts to a season in his career, averaging 30.1 points while posting the league’s best field goal percentage (56.4 percent) among 30 players attempting 17.5 or more shots per game.
Kevin Durant is just toying with the Warriors now 🤣
The Nets scored 91 points in the 1st half without Kyrie Irving. pic.twitter.com/B5Xq1feumy
— Covers (@Covers) December 22, 2022
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said the 34-year-old hasn't lost a step after tearing his Achilles and leaving Golden State three seasons ago.
“He’s just one of the great scorers of all time. He’s a phenomenal shooter, he can get any shot he wants. He’s the game guy,” Kerr said. “He doesn’t look any different to me now than he did a few years ago when he was playing with us. So happy for him, happy that he’s healthy and playing well.”
With Kyrie Irving unexpectedly ruled out with calf tightness a half hour before tip-off, Royce O'Neale stepped up to provide a boost out of the gate. O'Neale scored 15 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 from three in the first half. The offseason acquisition has stepped into an important two-way role for Brooklyn, starting 29 of the team's 30 games to open the year.
Royce O'Neale is heating up! The sharpshooter already has a trio of 3-pointers! #NETSonYES pic.twitter.com/uSlrnWL9WN
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) December 22, 2022
The performance comes after O'Neale broke out of extended struggles against Detroit, scoring 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from three. O'Neale had shot just 15-of-57 (26.3 percent) from the field and 10-of-38 (26.3 percent) from three in eight games prior.
A franchise-record nine Nets reached double figures in the victory. Brooklyn knocked down a season-high 21 threes while registering a season-high 42 assists with just 14 turnovers.
The win marks a league-best seven straight for the Nets. Brooklyn has posted the league's best record (14-3) over their last 17 games. After a 2-7 start, Durant and co. now sit just 2.5 games back of Milwaukee for first place in the Eastern Conference heading into a matchup with the Bucks Friday.
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