Inside The Nets

The Nets continue their skid with a 102-121 loss to the Knicks

The Nets are now on a four-game losing streak after being beaten by the Knicks.

Peter Sunjic

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On a night when the Brooklyn Nets were desperate for a comeback, the New York Knicks hustled harder, putting in a gritty performance. Tom Thibodeau's squad brought more physicality and energy to the game, making their dominance apparent from start to finish.

This was a disappointing performance from the Nets; they are now under .500 with a record of 13-14. Just a couple of weeks ago, they were riding high on a four-game winning streak, but now, they have matched that with a four-game slide down the standings.

“There's really no excuse for the physicality portion. It's one of those things where we gotta get back to the drawing board, look at the game, and you know, assess from there,” Cam Johnson opined after the loss.

Brooklyn continued to struggle

Even though both Cameron Thomas and Cameron Johnson scored 20 points, it was not enough for the Nets. The rest of the team struggled to score, especially Mikal Bridges, who is still in a slump, finishing the game shooting 4-of-21 from the field for 15 points.

Apart from their struggles on offense, Brooklyn also gave up too many points. Julius Randle led the way for the Knicks with 26 points, while Donte DiVincenzo was a momentum killer with his 23 points. New York played with much more energy, as evidenced by Donte’s eight rebounds and Josh Hart’s double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds off the bench.

Most people would attribute this loss to fatigue from the Nets’ road trip, but the Knicks were also fresh off their road trip before returning to the state. Coach Jacque Vaughn himself is not using that excuse because he knows both teams had similar situations.

“We both were on the West Coast. Nobody can use that as an excuse,” Vaughn said in his interview. “They came back home, we came back home, played a game, same amount of rest, and they were better than us tonight in all facets of the game.”

The Nets need to recover soon

The upcoming game poses another challenge for Brooklyn as they face the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets, at Barclays Center. The venue could work to their advantage, considering Denver no longer benefits from the Mile High City altitude.

After that game, the Nets have two golden opportunities to win as they have a back-to-back with the league’s worst team, the Detroit Pistons. Mikal and the rest of the team need to get back on track because they’re in danger of sliding down the standings.

Jacque Vaughn provides cryptic recovery update around Lonnie Walker IV, Dennis Smith Jr. after Nets' rocky road trip

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Peter Sunjic
PETER SUNJIC

Peter's journey with basketball commenced in the first grade, and it has since evolved into an integral part of his life. Standing on the brink of a potential professional playing career, Peter ultimately chose to pursue a degree in Political Science and Journalism in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite this academic pursuit, his deep-rooted love for the game of basketball endured, undiminished. Now, as a writer and editor, Peter finds an avenue to channel his unwavering passion for basketball-related news and analysis. Whether it's deciphering the latest happenings or delving into the lore of old-school basketball, he covers every corner of the NBA world.

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