All of the Nets should do to cease a brief dropping streak that has the potential to develop into a five-alarm hearth is beat an NBA title contender led by an MVP taking part in at his greatest.
In different phrases, repeat precisely what they did seven days in the past.
The Nets not solely gained final Sunday in Western Convention-leading Denver, however in addition they did it by overcoming a triple-double by Nuggets celebrity Nikola Jokic.
The Nuggets, who suffered a 116-110 loss to the Knicks on Saturday within the Backyard, will go to Barclays Middle on Sunday looking for revenge.
I informed the boys [Friday], ‘Some guys come to the plate and you do not pitch to them,’” stated head coach Jacque Vaughn, utilizing a baseball metaphor. “We’ve got to have a technique of who we’re going to pitch to. That sport, we stated we have been going to let Jokic do what he was doing and see if we might [contain] the opposite sorts.
“We are going to see if that components is similar. They are a sensible staff, they’re going to make some changes. What I favored in that sport was that we performed with plenty of power, we have been combating, very rudimentary, we performed small. These issues that we are going to most likely see once more.”
Since that 122-120 win in Denver, the Nets have misplaced to the Thunder and Kings.
Two straight losses can develop into three, three can develop into 5, and 5 can develop into a playoff-seeding crush in a short time if the Nets do not reply through the greatest week of their season.
“We perceive what it means to play playoff groups,” guard Spencer Dinwiddie stated. “We’re approaching it with that degree of focus.”
The rematch with the Nuggets precedes a home-and-away sport in opposition to the Cavaliers and a visit to Miami to face the Warmth, who’re sizzling on the heels of the Nets within the race for the No. 6 seed within the Jap Convention and keep away from the play. . in event
“Everyone knows math. All of us see the planting,” Dinwiddie stated. “Everyone knows that.”
Two-time MVP Jokic, who had 24 factors and 10 rebounds as Denver nonetheless misplaced to the Knicks on Saturday, calls for a novel method.
Final Sunday, Nic Claxton had no reply on protection, however the Nets discovered methods to counter on the different finish.
“The larger, stronger guys, plenty of occasions they’re in that sort of blitz protection, so we are able to play brief for Nic. He can even open up much more passing lanes for me,” stated Dinwiddie. “If we make 3s, we’ve an opportunity to have a dynamic sport like we had in Denver.”
Dinwiddie had 16 assists to spark the win in opposition to the Nuggets, getting the ball out of traps with “fast, decisive choices” to gas the Nets’ 17 3-pointers.
The Nuggets’ excuse afterward was that they took their foot off the gasoline within the third quarter and allowed the Nets to go on a 37-18 run that is not bulletin board materials.
“They’re the No. 1 staff within the West, so it is truthful to say that,” Dinwiddie stated. “They’ve had a few losses in a row [five of the last six games] then they’re most likely attempting to cease the bleeding and determine themselves out, so I hope they’re motivated. That does not change the best way we method them as a result of we’ve our personal issues that we’re combating for.”
Vaughn will not be wanting on the massive image.
The 6-foot-11 Jokic is sufficiently big.
“The very first thing I stated after I obtained up this morning was, ‘I am not trying to the longer term,’” Vaughn stated. “I actually don’t desire them wanting down too far. So many issues might come into play on the finish of the 12 months. That staff is sweet sufficient to have sufficient issues to take care of and we do not need to exacerbate it by placing extra stress on them.”
