The Nets’ season devolved into disaster a year ago with 11 consecutive losses and 16 of 21 defeats overall while superstar Kevin Durant was sidelined with a knee injury.
Faced with a similar multi-week absence involving their leading scorer beginning Thursday night against the Celtics, Nets coach Jacque Vaughn — who replaced fired predecessor Steve Nash in October — believes this year’s Brooklyn edition is better equipped to handle such a stretch than it was one year ago.
“Yes, no excuses. That’s the biggest thing for this group,” Vaughn said after practice Wednesday in Brooklyn. “To [be in] the position last year where we were … I just say no excuses. Not giving this group a chance to make excuses. Here to play. Here to win. Here to compete. Doesn’t change.”
Durant, who was sidelined between mid-January and early March last season with a sprained MCL in his left knee, suffered a similar injury to his right knee Sunday in Miami.
One year ago, the Nets were dealing with an unhappy James Harden, who was traded to the 76ers on Feb. 9. Kyrie Irving also had only resumed playing road games on Jan. 5, 2022 following his refusal to be vaccinated for COVID-19, and he wasn’t cleared to participate in home games until March 27.
Coach Jacque Vaughn says he won’t let the Nets use Kevin Durant’s absence as an excuse not to play well.APThe Nets opened this season with a 9-11 record (2-5 under Nash) while attempting to integrate three-time All-Star Ben Simmons, who didn’t play last season following his arrival in the Harden deal. Irving also was suspended for eight games in November after initially declining to disavow a film featuring anti-Semitic tropes that he’d promoted on his social media accounts.
“I think this group has shown they have resolve and they have the ability to fight, and the belief,” said Vaughn whose surging team came back to post its 18th win in 20 games Sunday in Miami. “I think that’s a direct reflection of this group. I think they’re looking forward to playing and trying to win and figure it out together.
“So hopefully this group is in a better place mentally and physically to handle this challenge.”
Vaughn wouldn’t divulge Thursday’s starting lineup, but he stressed that his rotations figure to vary from game to game depending on matchups. Players such as T.J. Warren, Yuta Watanabe and perhaps Cam Thomas could see expanded roles.
“I mean, it’s been injuries, it’s been COVID, it’s been extenuating circumstances,” center Nic Claxton said. “So we’ve become accustomed to it.”
Claxton, the NBA’s leader in field-goal percentage (73.8) and blocked shots (2.6 per game), agreed this year’s squad is better equipped to withstand Durant’s absence than it was last season.
“Definitely. Just our spirit, our energy, our vibes, the way that we’ve been defending even though we’re definitely going to miss him out there,” Claxton said. “You never want to see anybody get injured, and you know the best player in the world, he’s out.
The Nets’ depth will be tested again following Kevin Durant’s second MCL injury in as many seasons.AP“But guys got to step up. We’ve been in this position before, not this year, but previous years so guys got to step up and take on a bigger role.”
Vaughn wouldn’t divulge a grade for the sprain but added that the 34-year-old Durant is “in good spirits.” The coach also vowed that the Nets “will be a better team” once the 12-time All-Star returns to the lineup. He is slated to be reevaluated in two weeks.
However Durant’s minutes are redistributed, Vaughn doesn’t expect to greatly alter his game plan as the Nets (27-13 overall) look to navigate a stretch that features five games against teams currently in playoff or play-in positions over the next seven.
“Our schemes won’t change,” Vaughn said. “We’ll need to do things better, whether that is rebounding the basketball better, because Kevin can make a shot for us and cover up some of our sins.
“So the shot discrepancy can’t be the same. We can’t turn it over the same. So all the things that increase or decrease your margins, we just got to be better at. But nothing changes for our group. We play extremely hard and let everything else fall where it may.”
