The Brooklyn Nets were dealt their fifth straight loss as the Houston Rockets defeated them, 116-106. The game was also James Harden’s 12th triple-double of the season, adding to his NBA All Star MVP candidacy. “We’re still trying to find our way and we have a lot of games left,” said center Brook Lopez after the game…The Brooklyn Nets continue their search for success this morning despite another setback from last night’s loss against the Houston Rockets.
The Brooklyn Nets are currently in the midst of their sixth straight loss. James Harden has urged his team to “push forward” after a tough stretch. Read more in detail here: nfl.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) – Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden stood at a tiny stage inside Golden 1 Center with a frustrated expression after his team lost its sixth consecutive game, a sluggish 112-101 defeat to the Sacramento Kings.
Harden was quick to respond when asked whether his struggling team needs a players-only meeting after a week and a half of terrible performance.
“I believe we’ve spoken too much,” Harden said after scoring four points on 2-for-11 shooting. “It’s simply that we have to go out there and do it consistently. There are moments when we’re terrific and others when we’re terrible. More often than not, we simply need to establish some consistency across the course of games.”
1 Related
The Nets have had a slew of problems this season, and they’ll have more as they attempt to get through the next several weeks without star forward Kevin Durant, who injured his left MCL on Jan. 15.
However, the squad’s lowest moment of the season occurred on Wednesday, when they were defeated by a Kings team that had lost seven consecutive games and was only 2-12 in its previous 14 games.
When questioned why the group’s consistency hasn’t been there, Harden said, “You know just as well as I do.” “We’ve simply gotten a lot of different stuff internally — lineups, for example, and there hasn’t been any consistency yet. So it’s just one of those things you have to keep going through. There’s nothing left for you to do except keep going and pushing on.”
One of the causes for the club’s inconsistency is guard Kyrie Irving’s part-time status, since he rejoined the team last month but is unable to participate in home games owing to New York City’s vaccine requirement. Irving, who is not immune to COVID-19, said he understands Harden’s dissatisfaction with the team’s performance.
When asked whether he agreed with Harden’s assessment, Irving stated, “I appreciate James’ viewpoint.” “I understand how frustrating it is to hear the same thing over and over again when you’re on a losing streak, so I sympathize with him. And I’m sure if you polled a handful of the men on the squad, they’d feel the same way. However, as a group, we are growing closer.
“The ‘get well’ language that we use all the time, whether it’s here with you or in the locker room, can get tedious. It’s only normal for a human person to tire of it, so we’re feeling like we’re coming out with some moral wins if we lose each game, but we’re simply bored of it. So in that sense, I’m in the same predicament as you.”
Despite the defeats, Nets coach Steve Nash had similar sentiments, claiming that the team has improved in recent games and that they merely “looked exhausted” down the stretch.
“Our goal for this trip was to improve,” Nash stated. “We were improving in the first two games and the first half of tonight’s game. We were carrying out their instructions. In the second half, we couldn’t keep the ball or make any attacking plays. Some of it may be down to legs, but I believe our men have done a fantastic job of keeping their spirits up and their concentration on the task at hand. They’re going to remain together.”
Harden, who was out for two games last week due to a hamstring ailment and a right hand strain, “looked like he didn’t have his legs tonight,” Nash said. Harden, for one, claimed his hand was good, but added that the Nets are dealing with a variety of issues right now.
Harden said, “I believe it’s everything.” “There’s a little bit of everything here… It’s quite aggravating. It is unquestionably challenging. But as a group, we had to figure out a way out.”
Harden stated that as the losses have mounted in recent weeks, he has made his views known. However, he is optimistic that the Nets will be able to compete at a high level once they have a complete squad again.
Irving, like Harden, said he doesn’t feel a players-only meeting will fix the Nets’ current problems.
“I’ve been in a lot of players-only meetings, and I know not to tell y’all if we have a players-only meeting,” Irving said. “Because it turns out to be something much more significant. And there’s a hunch about what’s going on in the locker room and what’s being said. There haven’t been any pow wows yet. Who knows, who knows?”
Both Irving and Nash sounded a similar chord, implying that brighter days were on the way for a Nets club that is currently only a game and a half ahead of the Eastern Conference’s play-in bracket group.
Irving said, “I don’t know any other way.” “I’ve had a lot of varied experiences in this league, playing for various clubs. Having the opportunity to play with some great players, as well as some great role players, I believe the sentiment I have is that rather than continuing to hammer on, “We need to do this, we need to do that,” I believe the sentiment I have is that instead of continuing to hammer on, “We need to do this, we need to do that.” We simply needed to become a little closer as a group. This is a moment when we can’t afford to be fragile, and we’ll utilize this period of time as a learning opportunity in the NBA.”
Related Tags
- james harden contract nets
- who does james harden play for
