Nets believe their performance in few games remaining can lay foundation
Nets guard Cam Thomas and forward Jalen Wilson react during the second half of an NBA game against the Pistons on Saturday at Barclays Center. Credit: AP/Mary Altaffer
During the last two weeks, the Nets seemed to find life after stumbling in March with losses to the worst teams in the NBA. Entering Sunday, they had won five of their last seven games.
That all came crashing down, though, as the Nets, with only eight healthy players, lost to the Sacramento Kings, 107-77, at Barclays Center. It was their season low in points and tied for the third-fewest by an NBA team this season.
So what should be made of this recent stretch? As well as they played before Sunday, it had to be disheartening for them to hear Kings fans chant “Light the Beam” in the fourth quarter, a nod to Sacramento’s postgame celebration after home wins.
Maybe it’s encouraging that there’s more fight lately or that rookies Jalen Wilson and Noah Clowney have made the most of more minutes. But with three games left, the Nets (31-48) hope the building blocks from the rubble of a rough season lead to something in 2024-25.
“We’ve just got to keep building. I think just keep playing the right way, keep playing hard,” Mikal Bridges said. “Around this time, especially when you’re away from the playoffs, it can get selfish and you just kind of got to get off that hump and continue to play together because obviously there’s no playoffs or anything, but it’s just building to next year.”
Clowney, who drew his first start Sunday, and Wilson, who made his third start, are benefiting from chemistry with teammates. Clowney had seven points and 10 rebounds but got a rude awakening when he was knocked down several times by the bigger Kings’ post players.
It’s a reminder that the Nets need a lot of work to improve. They needed a ton of effort to rally Saturday against the Pistons, who own the NBA’s worst record. They lack a player like the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox (20 points) or Domantas Sabonis (18 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists) to compete with the league’s decent teams, let alone the best.
So if the Nets want to build some type of culture, where do they begin? This season was mostly spent in the wilderness of being neither great, good nor outright awful.
It might as well be with Wilson and Clowney going through trial and error alongside Bridges and Cam Thomas, who had 21 points Sunday.
“I feel like the way you finish is a representation of how mature we can be and what we want to do the following year,” Wilson said. “I just feel like it’s smart and good to end on a high note. Don’t want to leave anything on the table at all.”
As Sunday showed, the Nets remain prone to poor offensive stretches. They also give up too many transition points thanks to too many turnovers, including 17 against the Kings.
Interim coach Kevin Ollie deserves credit for keeping the Nets motivated. The recent wins help, but there’s still a long way to go.
“They just got to continue to learn, play through these situations and just learn from each other,” Ollie said. “These are competitive games, but these minutes are crucial for their learning growth, getting some valuable minutes so they can have some great experiences coming back for next year.’’
Notes & quotes: Nic Claxton (sprained left ankle) and Dorian Finney-Smith (left knee effusion) were out for Sunday’s game, as were Cam Johnson and Dennis Smith Jr. Ollie said he hopes Claxton can return Wednesday against Toronto. He also didn’t rule out a return this season for Smith (right hip synovitis) or Johnson (sprained left big toe).
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
