[ad_1]
Jacques Vaughn’s New 12 months’s decision has already change into a actuality. The collection continues to reside in Brooklyn.
Hours after Vaughn mentioned his solely objective getting into the New 12 months was to win a nightcap, the Nets (24-12) prolonged their league-best successful streak to 11 video games with a 123-106 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday :
The Nets have now moved previous the Milwaukee Bucks for the second seed within the Japanese Convention. The Boston Celtics (26-10) have one of the best file in basketball.
They’re additionally now 2-7 all-time on New 12 months’s Eve with their first vacation win since 2003. They by no means trailed the Hornets. It was their fourth wire-to-wire victory of the season.
And with celebrity ahead Kevin Durant watching from the sidelines for the complete fourth quarter, there is not any higher means for the Nets to enter 2023. Durant, who led the NBA in minutes performed for a lot of this season, performed 30 of a attainable 36. minutes via the primary three quarters because the Nets constructed a lead that went up by 20 within the third interval.
Durant scored 23 factors on 9-of-16 taking pictures from the sector earlier than making a uncommon fourth-quarter look on the bench. Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 28 factors and beat Durant to the bench. 4 different gamers within the Nets’ rotation scored in double figures, together with beginning middle Nick Claxton, who completed with a career-high six blocks for the second straight recreation.
Each Irving and beginning ahead Royce O’Neal hit 4 threes in opposition to the Hornet protection. Reserves TJ Warren and Yuta Watanabe additionally scored in double figures.
Because of this, the Nets stay the most well liked crew in all of basketball getting into the New 12 months.
Brooklyn is 22-7 since Vaughn took over for Steve Nash and has gained 18 of its final 21 video games.
The Nets have executed it with a roster that has gotten wholesome however nonetheless stays inconsistent.
Sharpshooter Joe Harris missed his fourth straight recreation with a sore left knee. After lacking all however 14 video games with a severely sprained left ankle that required two season-long surgical procedures, Harris has had soreness in different areas of his left leg, as he predicted to The Every day Information.
Harris has missed video games this season with a sore left foot and, most just lately, a sore left knee. Whereas he stays one of many NBA’s finest three-point shooters and a markedly improved defender, Harris has missed six of the crew’s 35 video games, however Vaughn mentioned the crew will go to him once more Monday at residence in opposition to the San Antonio Spurs.
“He’ll keep at residence, be a part of us once more [in Brooklyn]. “Hopefully we’ll recognize him after we come again,” coach Jacques Vaughan mentioned. “However he isn’t going to play Charlotte, so you do not have to fly him. Simply pondering, maintain them there, see what occurs in these three days.”
Nets star Ben Simmons has additionally been out and in of the rotation after a season away from basketball adopted by an offseason process on his decrease again.
Simmons, who just lately missed time with a calf pressure, had a non-Covid-related sickness that made him questionable earlier than Saturday’s recreation. He performed 19 minutes and had simply two factors, three rebounds and two assists.
“[We left him] return to the resort. Greatest to remain there. He will fly with us to Charlotte,” Vaughn mentioned throughout apply over the weekend. “I believe [Charlotte] may very well be airborne as a kind of non-Covids [illnesses]. I am not even positive we’ll record him, however all indicators level to him enjoying.”
This season for the Nets has been outlined by successful video games irrespective of who’s on the courtroom. They are going to look to proceed the streak in opposition to the Spurs on Monday.
()
[ad_2]
Supply hyperlink