Nets' leaky defense leads to loss to Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Nets couldn’t be happier to see 2023, a year of great upheaval and resetting for the franchise, come to an end.

The Big Three era ended in February last season with the trades of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. On Sunday, this new group ended the calendar year with a 124-108 loss to the Thunder at Paycom Center.

The Nets’ third consecutive defeat felt similar to the previous two. There were defensive issues, with the Thunder shooting 54.2% from the field. They made their first five shots of the fourth quarter to push their lead to 14.

The Nets shot 38%. After making fewer than 10 three-pointers in the previous three games, they hit 12 but attempted 46 (26.1%).

“It was open looks; we were just missing,” Cam Thomas said. “There wasn’t nothing they were doing out of the ordinary. We was drive-and-kicking. They showed a stat in here, we was like 2-for-20 on corner threes.”

The Nets have lost eight of their last 10 games. They improved their rebounding Sunday but had just a 47-46 edge over a team ranked 28th in rebounding entering the game.

Of course, there were fewer rebounds on made shots. Every Thunder starter besides Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made at least 50% of his shots. Gilgeous-Alexander was 7-for-15 and scored 24 points.

“We got the looks we wanted. Just couldn’t make them,” Mikal Bridges said. “We got the looks we wanted. We just got to get stops on the other end as well. They just shot 54[%] from the field, so just got to be better.”

Said Nic Claxton: “Just not enough resistance, not being on the same page, individual defense. You just go down the line, we just got to be better defensively. Tonight, it wasn’t too bad. They just hit a lot of shots.”

The Nets also wasted a game in which they forced an uncharacteristic 15 turnovers and got strong starts by Thomas and Bridges. They totaled 25 points in the first quarter, but the Nets led only 36-33 despite shooting 61.9%.

The shooting regressed in the second quarter as the Nets shot 24.1% and the Thunder took a 59-56 halftime lead.

“That boils down to the transition defense,” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “There was a few possessions and stretches where we missed shots with a long rebound. Now you have to have that extra energy to sprint back and load to the basketball.”

Bridges had 22 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Thomas had 20 points off the bench. Claxton tied his career high with 16 rebounds to go with 15 points.

The Nets’ inability to get stops cost them against a Thunder team that entered the game fourth in the league in scoring. Josh Giddey added 20 points as every Thunder starter had at least 17.

Defensive issues again proved glaring for a team that wanted to be a defense-first unit. Perhaps one fourth-quarter play summed up the difference in effort between both teams.

With the Thunder up big, Lu Dort took a touch pass from Giddey and went up for a one-handed dunk. He missed, but Giddey hustled for the offensive rebound and found Dort, who made an open corner three-pointer with nary a Net near him.

The Nets’ spirit, whatever was left of it, was snatched away. They enter 2024 looking for the same answers they couldn’t find to end 2023.

“We just got to keep doing what we do,” Bridges said. “I don’t have too much to say. I think just follow the game plan and keep trying to do it the best we can.”

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.