The Brooklyn Nets visited the Indiana Pacers on Friday and lost 128-117 as they allowed four Pacers to score at least 20 points including Buddy Hield scoring 26. The Pacers now lead the regular-season series 2-1 and the fourth and final game of this series is on Dec.10.
The Nets’ big three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons combined for 76 of the team’s 117 points, but Irving and Simmons were non-factors in the fourth quarter as Durant scored 20 of his 36 points in the period. In the end, the Nets struggled to defend without fouling as they allowed the Pacers to shoot 38 free-throws.
Here’s what NBA Twitter had to say about the Nets’ loss:
I’m struggling to understand this Nets team. They start games strong and show real promise, but always eventually collapse and are down double digits in the fourth quarter. Lots of work to be done.
And still not .500%.
— Alec Sturm (@Alec_Sturm) November 26, 2022
ben & klay been hooping & everybody quiet now
—Ja Morant (@JaMorant) November 26, 2022
Joe Harris is killing the Nets on both ends.
— Robin Lundberg (@robinlundberg) November 26, 2022
The Nets are getting outscored 36-17 in the 4th — and there’s still 2:41 left in regulation. One of their worst quarters in recent memory.
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) November 26, 2022
Kyrie called the Nets’ upcoming 7 game homestand “essential for our season” in trying to build “great habits”
“It’s not a hard basketball game for us. We have the talent offensively, but defensively and offensive boards, they’re still going to be something we bring up day to day”— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) November 26, 2022
This Nets roster cannot survive Joe Harris and Royce O’Neale being liabilities defensively.
They need both to be significantly better.
And for Joe that now includes the offensive end.
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) November 26, 2022
Went over this stat multiple times, and I still can’t believe it.
Kevin Durant was the only Net to make a field goal in the fourth quarter.
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) November 26, 2022
Knowing this, it becomes even more confusing that the Nets let Bruce Brown, a hellacious POA defender, walk without even making an offer. https://t.co/CGa7X4qnQb
— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) November 26, 2022
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