In a recreation the Nets completely needed to have, they acquired out-hustled, out-hit and outfought.
The Nets acquired punched first and by no means punched again, taking a 106-102 loss to Memphis earlier than a crowd of 15,847 at Barclays Heart.
The Grizzlies could have been decimated, however the Nets have been those that have been defeated, achieved in by their very own ambivalence.
“Once we acquired within the battle, we didn’t preserve swinging. And while you don’t preserve swinging, you get knocked out, they usually knocked us out. Beginning with me, the teaching workers, the gamers,” interim head coach Kevin Ollie mentioned. “We stopped swinging, and we are able to’t try this. We’re not gifted sufficient to try this.”
The Nets (24-37) gave away the momentum of their consecutive wins over Atlanta, falling 2½ video games out of the ultimate play-in spot within the East. They host the 76ers on Tuesday whereas the Hawks play throughout the East River on the Backyard.
Sure, they will say they merely misplaced it on a 9-0, fourth-quarter Grizzlies run to interrupt a tie and break their backs. However they’d be mendacity to themselves.
The Nets misplaced it by going 17 of 30 on the foul line.
They misplaced it by repeatedly dropping Luke Kennard on the perimeter.
And most of all they misplaced it by getting hammered, 51-33, on the glass by this shell of a crew.
“Our effort wasn’t adequate to get a win, and each recreation, it prices,” Ollie mentioned.
“We didn’t pay sufficient to get this win. That goes for coaches, all people. You’ve acquired to pay the price for a win. That’s effort, that’s power, that’s enjoying collectively, that’s hitting, that’s doing all of these small issues. And we let alternatives slip via our fingers.”
Or let the Grizzlies beat them up and take them.
Memphis (21-41) had misplaced 5 straight and have been with out Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Good and Jaren Jackson Jr. as a consequence of damage. The Grizzlies had simply 9 lively gamers.
Turned out that was sufficient at hand the Nets a crushing defeat.
“We have to win each single recreation, particularly video games like this. They’re lacking a number of dudes so this loss is certainly gonna sting. However we’ve acquired to flush it and prepare for [Tuesday],” mentioned Nic Claxton, who had 21 factors and 6 rebounds however was assessed a important technical foul to kill the Nets solely actual run of the evening.
Mikal Bridges was held to simply 14 factors on 4-for-14 capturing.
“They only performed more durable than us. They outrebounded us by quite a bit. I take a number of [blame] on each ends … simply boxing out, not getting the rebound. So simply powerful,” Bridges mentioned. “That is only a unhealthy one for me, and [I] take a number of blame for [it]. It simply sucks. However you’ve gotta prepare for [the 76ers].”
They let Kennard — the one participant they completely, positively needed to keep connected to — rating 25 factors on 6 of 9 from deep, far too a lot of these appears extensive open.
His 3 left them down 71-63 with 5:53 left within the third.
It was nonetheless 75-68 earlier than they strung collectively some stops. They ran off 9 unanswered, with Claxton’s dunk giving them a 77-75 lead with 2:22 to go within the third.
However Claxton picked up that ill-advised technical, getting pulled and handing Memphis a 5-0 mini-run to shut the quarter.
The Nets clawed again, pulling even at 88-all when Cam Johnson drilled a 3 with 8:41 to play. However they by no means acquired over the hump, and instantly allowed a 6-0 run to fall behind for good.
Kennard’s midrange jumper made it 94-88. The clock learn 4:43 to play, however the recreation was over. His 3 padded it to 99-90, the Nets’ late 10-4 run falling quick.
Dennis Schroder (13 factors, 9 assists) hit a free throw to get the Nets inside three.
After Bridges was fouled with seven seconds left whereas trying a 3 down 105-100, he sank the primary two and missed the third on objective. However a lane violation gave Memphis the ball, and Kennard iced it on the line.
“The sport makes you pay while you’re not locked-in,” mentioned Johnson. “It’s on us: We’ve gotta be quite a bit higher.”