The Brooklyn Nets had the game in control, but it slipped through their grasp. After the 120-116 home loss to the shorthanded Los Angeles Clippers, the mood from Kevin Durant, James Harden and head coach Steve Nash was one of disappointment, bewilderment and disgust.

From one perspective, the Nets deserve a bit of a pass. It makes perfect sense why a team who was returning what was once a total of 10 players from health and safety protocols didn't look super sharp for 48 minutes. They were in first place for most of this season, but now at 23-11, they have allowed the Chicago Bulls to take the top spot–dropping back-to-back games for the first time.

So how will Nash play this as a coach: will he let a mostly veteran team figure this out on their own or will he give them an earful?

“Obviously I'll tell them that that can't be us,” said a terse Nash after the game. “And that' can't be the level that we are gonna accept. And that we have to decide what's acceptable for us and what's not.”

Nash doesn't seem like the type to scream and kick over a garbage can. Like a poised parent, the Nets tactician came across more disappointed than furious.

With just under six minutes to play, the Nets held a commanding 105-92 lead. However the Clippers–missing of course Kawhi Leonard (ACL), Paul George (elbow) and their head coach Ty Lue (COVID-19 protocols)–stormed back led by Eric Bledsoe's 27 points.

“They just kept attacking for the entire game,” said Harden, who finished with his fourth consecutive 30-plus point game, yet was held to 3-of-11 from downtown and 9-of-22 overall. It was another triple-double for The Beard, his second in a row and third in four games since returning from the COVID-19 list. But this isn't one he'll cherish.

“Our spacing, our offensive execution down the stretch wasn't great,” admitted Harden. Reporters may have tried to coax out of him if perhaps the team needed Kyrie for that spacing.

What made them lose their edge? “I'm not sure, that's a good question,” said the three-time scoring champion, not taking the bait. Could it have had anything to do with who (coughs) wasn't in the lineup? “I don't- I mean, I don't know,” added Harden, who could clearly tell where that was going, and cut himself off.

Kevin Durant didn't hide his wrath after the game. The team, normally stout defensively, allowed 71 second half points in the collapse. “Well we just relaxed too much,” added the Nets forward, who totaled 28 points, nine rebounds and three dimes in his second game back from protocols.

“Like coach said, we didn't deserve to win this game, we came in here with a f–d up attitude to start, thinking we was just gonna walk up into a W.”

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But it doesn't sound like Durant wants to move on and forget about this one.

“Hopefully a loss like this will sit in your brain until tomorrow,” said a clearly disgusted KD, who was a bit briefer with media than per usual. “Go out there, understand what your job is as an individual, and how you can be the best at that job and how you can bring it to the collective. It's always abut the collective. So if you ain't feeling like s–t after this game, then you gotta look yourself in the mirror.”

Durant added that it was natural that they relaxed when they saw the state of the Clippers roster.

Still, like KD said, this one will probably stick in their heads for at least until they get back into that win column. But it's not a huge surprise they may have had their mind on other things and lost a bit of focus with so much going on these days. Fortunately, it looks like Kyrie Irving is getting back to the Nets soon.