One other season with championship aspirations went up in smoke at Barclays Heart when the Boston Celtics swept the Nets off their very own residence court docket in Recreation 4 on Monday. The disappointing consequence, nonetheless, was predictable given the variety of twists and turns thrown the Nets’ approach this season.
Right here’s a timeline of the completely different storms the Nets needed to climate on their technique to an early playoff exit.
OCT. 12, 2021 – NETS SHUN KYRIE
Irving’s determination to not get vaccinated rendered him ineligible to play in residence video games at Barclays Heart to start out the season. The Nets compounded his availability points by additionally ruling him ineligible to observe at residence or play in street video games.
“Kyrie has made a private selection, and we respect his particular person proper to decide on. At present the selection restricts his capacity to be a full-time member of the group, and we is not going to allow any member of our group to take part with part-time availability,” Nets GM Sean Marks stated on Oct. 12. “It's crucial that we proceed to construct chemistry as a group and stay true to our long-established values of togetherness and sacrifice. Our championship objectives for the season haven't modified, and to realize these objectives every member of our group should pull in the identical path.”
NOV. 14, 2021 – HARRIS SPRAINS ANKLE
After a very poor displaying in final 12 months’s playoffs, Harris got here out the gates taking pictures 46.6% from three-point vary. However he considerably sprained his left ankle in a Nov. 14 matchup in Oklahoma Metropolis towards the Thunder, and two weeks later, he underwent a process to take away a bone particle from the injured foot.
“He’s going to have a scope and we’ll see what meaning as soon as he has the process,” Nets head coach Steve Nash stated on Nov. 29. “We expect it is a actually constructive factor that may put this case behind him, as an alternative of risking re-occurrences.
“We really feel assured that the process will enable him to come back again and never look again.”
DEC. 18 – OMICRON OUTBREAK
Because the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus hit america, it additionally rocked the NBA, inflicting spikes in circumstances league-wide. The variant hit the Nets significantly arduous: 13 gamers have been within the well being and security protocols on the similar time in mid-December getting into January, with Patty Mills and Blake Griffin as the one veterans by no means to check constructive for COVID-19 this season.
On account of the outbreak, Nets administration determined to deliver again Irving on a part-time foundation, permitting the unvaccinated star to play in street video games. Shortly after the announcement, Irving examined constructive for COVID-19, entered the well being and security protocols and made his season debut in Indiana towards the Pacers on Jan. 5.
“A number of months in the past, we decided that was primarily based round what was greatest for the group,” Marks stated on Dec. 19. “What was greatest for the group at that time was continuity, and I feel all of us see that continuity proper now, over the course of the final week, and regardless of the future appears to be like like, could also be out of the window for some time.
JAN. 15 – DOWN GOES DURANT
In a Jan. 15 matchup towards the New Orleans Pelicans, standout rookie Herb Jones shoved Nets’ guard Bruce Brown to the bottom on a drive to the rim. Brown tumbled instantly into Kevin Durant’s leg, buckling the Nets’ star’s left knee inwards. An MRI revealed a sprained MCL that sidelined Durant for a month-and-a-half till after the All-Star break.
The Nets spiraled: With Irving solely enjoying part-time, Durant out of the rotation and James Harden nonetheless off form and a shell of his former MVP self, the Nets misplaced 11 straight video games and fielded 18 losses in a 21-game stretch.
“To be sincere, I really feel like our season was derailed by my damage,” Durant stated on April 4, after the Nets had spiraled from first within the East to tenth place. “I’m not it like we’re simply not a great basketball group. There wasn’t lots of continuity with me and Kyrie out of the lineup. That’s simply what it's. Once we’re all on the ground collectively, I like what we’ve bought.”
JAN.-FEB. 2022 – HARDEN WANTS OUT
It grew to become more and more clear with every passing day that Harden not needed to be part of the Nets. He was annoyed by the offensive load he was pressured to hold with Irving in-and-out of the lineup whereas Durant suffered a knee damage, and stories started to floor of his want to play in Philadelphia with Joel Embiid and his former Rockets GM Daryl Morey.
On the commerce deadline, the Nets shipped Harden and embattled veteran ahead Paul Millsap to Philly for Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond, Seth Curry and two first-round picks.
“I feel we bought higher,” Blake Griffin stated after the commerce deadline. “We positively bought what we needed: Guys that need to be right here and guys that need to play.”
MARCH 3, 2022 – HARRIS NEEDS SECOND SURGERY
Harris’ first surgical procedure didn’t do the trick, and he ended up struggling setbacks throughout his ramp-up to return to play. He sought a second opinion from a physician in Indianapolis and tried one final time to get wholesome sufficient to assist his group.
Finally, it was fruitless. Harris’ ankle required a second and season-ending surgical procedure, robbing the Nets of a shooter who led the NBA in effectivity in two of the final 5 seasons.
“Joe has performed each single factor he probably might up so far to keep away from having surgical procedure,” Marks stated on March 3. “We really feel horrible for Joe. Everyone knows how a lot he means to this group. He’s the one stalwart that’s been right here from the start, and for him to not be part of this run that we’re about to go on, bodily on the court docket, I couldn’t put that into phrases–however I do know Joe is feeling it: heartbroken about not with the ability to be on the market on the court docket contributing.”
MARCH 26, 2022 – VAX MANDATE LIFTED
Following stress from the New York Yankees and Mets concerning their unvaccinated MLB gamers, mayor Adams created an exemption in New York Metropolis’s vaccine mandate that allowed unvaccinated professional athletes to play in residence video games with out fulfilling the one-dose requirement.
The choice allowed Irving, who was beforehand solely eligible as a part-time participant, to return to full-time standing. Irving’s mind, nonetheless, was properly forward of his legs. Conditioning rapidly grew to become a sticking level as his effectivity tapered with extra video games on the schedule.
He made simply 38 of his first 105 shot makes an attempt after changing into a full-time participant and conceded lifeless legs might be a motive for his taking pictures struggles.
“Yeah it might be,” Irving agreed after taking pictures 12-of-32 in a loss to the Hawks. “I received’t rule it out, however I’m not right here to make any excuses for why it’s not going properly for me on the offensive finish.”
“I feel Kyrie’s adapting to enjoying each evening, each different evening now,” Nash added.
BEN SIMMONS SAGA
Curry changed Harris because the floor-spacer within the Nets’ beginning lineup, and Drummond introduced a much-needed paint presence to the entrance court docket, however the Nets wanted Simmons to interchange Harden’s playmaking and spark an oftentimes lackadaisical defensive effort.
However they by no means bought him. Simmons by no means suited up in a Nets jersey this season. He wasn’t in sport form when he bought to Brooklyn then suffered a herniated disk whereas ramping up his conditioning. In mid-March, Simmons acquired an epidural to alleviate the ache related along with his again damage however by no means improved considerably sufficient to make a comeback for the Nets’ short-lived playoff run.
“There’s no different approach than him to say, ‘I’m prepared,’ particularly after an absence this lengthy,” Nash stated at TD Backyard. “So each time he's prepared, it’s gonna should be on him to say, ‘I really feel comfy,’ ‘I really feel able to go,’ ‘I need to play,’ ‘I need to contribute.’ We are able to’t push him locations when you could have been out this lengthy. It’s gotta be one thing the place he’s positively comfy and able to play.”
UDOKA’S REVENGE
On paper, the Warmth and Bucks have been the 2 worst-case first-round playoff matchup the Nets might have drawn, however the Celtics proved a distinct caliber, as properly.
The Nets by no means had any solutions for the Celtics’ swarming protection on each Durant and Irving, and Boston took full benefit of the Nets’ lack of measurement by pummeling them on the glass and within the paint. The Celtics swept the Nets off their very own residence ground in 4 video games, placing the ultimate nail within the coffin for a season that was destroyed by a hurricane of issues occurring off the ground that finally spoiled the product on the court docket.
“You probably did a fairly good job, Kristian, of recounting the place we’ve gone this 12 months,” Nash stated forward of Recreation 4. “I feel that’s an enormous motive why we’re in (this) place. Lack of continuity, Kevin having to hold such a heavy burden to maintain us within the playoff image, all these issues off the ground play a task in what occurs on the ground as properly. In order that they’re tied and there’s no query that it has an affect over the course of a season. There’s too many issues that held us again for moments and pockets.”
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