Pelicans rout Nets for Brooklyn's fourth loss in row

NEW ORLEANS — During the third quarter of the Nets’ 112-85 loss to the Pelicans at New Orleans Tuesday night, fans at Smoothie King Center sang along during a timeout to the Backstreet Boys’ 1999 hit “I Want It That Way.”

The Nets, however, resembled the title of a Backstreet Boys album, ‘Black and Blue.’ They were overwhelmed from the start and finished with their largest defeat of the season.

They trailed 16-3 after the first 3:30 of the game thanks to the Pelicans starting 6-for-6 from the field, including four three-pointers. The Nets (15-19) had just 34 first-half points, two more than the Pelicans (20-14) had in the first quarter.

As their losing streak reached four games, the Nets finished with a season-low in points and the third fewest in a game by an NBA team this season.

“We tried to warn our guys that this team has a tendency to play with leads and start out really well to begin a game, so we warned our guys about that,” coach Jacque Vaughn said.

“So disappointed that we didn’t match their intensity and physicality from the beginning . . . it was literally the first play of the game.

“Give the credit to the Pelicans for bringing the fight to us.”

The Nets’ poor defense continued as they allowed 10 first half three-pointers to a team that averages 11.4 per game, fifth fewest in the league. The Pelicans finished with 16 three-pointers and had 19 fast break points to the Nets’ two.

The Pelicans led by as many as 32 points while seven players scored in double figures led by CJ McCollum’s 16 points.

“We got punched in the mouth and just sat back. We didn’t keep going forward. That’s on the players right there,” Mikal Bridges said.

“It’s going to be like that. They might make a run or do that. You got to have accountability on ourselves to get back up and fight besides just lay down.”

But while the defense has drawn much of the focus, the Nets’ offense has been just as bad.

Outside of Cam Johnson, who scored a team-high 17 points, the Nets brought little to the scoring table.

Cam Thomas finished 0-for-11 from the field and Spencer Dinwiddie was 0-for-6. Dorian Finney-Smith was 1-for-6 and Royce O’Neale finished 0-for-6 despite grabbing eight rebounds.

Bridges had 13 points but shot 4-from-11.

The Nets shot just 35.7% from the field and 25.6% on three-pointers (11-for-43).

“I liked some of the looks that we got,” Vaughn said. “But overall, that’s where the ability to be mentally strong to move on to the next possession and not let the missed shots affect your ability to get back in transition defense.”

Bridges added the defense messed up the Nets’ offense because not getting stops caused them to “lay down on both ends.” Both Vaughn and Johnson lamented the lack of deflections and effort for going after loose balls as part of the attitude the Nets are lacking.

“There lies the will to get it done and the will to do your part and get outside of yourself,” Vaughn said.

“And if you’re really desperate about when and then you dive on the floor. You will do it all. You’ll get cuts and bruises and you’ll go home sore. We’re not there yet. It’s as simple as that.”

The Nets now face the Rockets Wednesday night to close this road trip. It’s the Nets’ third back-to-back since Dec. 22.

They’re also 0-3 on this road trip as they’ve continued the worst swoon of the season.

“I don’t think [the game] rewards a sense of passivity,” Johnson said. “I don’t think it rewards not being the aggressor. So I think the only way [is] to get that to turn around and look at other areas of the game and where we can be the aggressor, where we can be the enforcer. And I think that’ll go a long way for us.”

By Evan Barnes

evan.barnes@newsday.comevan_b

Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.