PHOENIX — Four games without Kevin Durant. Four defeats. And no end in sight.
A national television audience watched the Nets fall 117-112 to the Suns at the Footprint Center, digging themselves a Grand Canyon-sized hole that proved just too big for Kyrie Irving to dig them out of.
“Yeah, really unfortunate, our start. I was really looking forward to the challenge for this group to see how we responded after a loss in San Antonio,” Jacque Vaughn said. “We talked about each possession having a meaning and it carries value and what you’re asked upon as a teammate to do every single possession. … We didn’t come to play at the beginning of the game, for sure.”
After being a late scratch Tuesday with a sore calf, Irving was nearly a late-game hero Thursday with a stellar fourth quarter. He had 21 of his game-high 30 in the final period, when the Nets outscored Phoenix 38-23.
Kyrie Irving defends Mikal Bridges during the Nets’ loss to the Suns on Jan. 19. Getty ImagesBut that shows just how bad the Nets were through the first three periods, trailing by as much as 24, and by 94-74 going into the fourth.
“We do want to have a consistent effort that we put forth,” Irving said. “So Jacque’s right; we put ourselves in a hole, we’re down 10, 12, we give the other team confidence and feel like they play a little bit more free. When we started locking in and come back, we can make anything happen. But sometimes the hole’s too big to come back from.”
Possibly having to shake off some rust early, Irving ended the third quarter with just nine points on 3-of-16 shooting and a team-worst minus-17 as his Nets trailed by 20. He erupted for 21 on 8-of-11 in the final period, but it was too late.
The Nets (27-17) fought, but too late.
“I think just a sense of urgency,” said Joe Harris, who had 16. “We were getting our [butts] kicked, so we were trying to come back and win the game.
General manager Sean Marks, who was on hand to watch, told TNT that it was “about how other guys respond without KD.” Marks also told the network that he felt this time minus Durant “is a great challenge for everyone on the Nets organization.” So far, consider the challenge unmet.
Much has been made about the way the Nets capitulated last season when Durant suffered a MCL injury, going 5-16 to tumble from second in the Eastern Conference all the way to eighth. There also has been much protestation from these Nets that they are different. But they already have fallen from second to fourth, six games behind Boston and just percentage points ahead of No. 5 seed Cleveland.
After briefly taking a 12-6 lead when Simmons found Royce O’Neale for a 3-pointer, the Nets was still clinging to a 19-18 edge after an Irving driving layup with 5:20 left in the first. It didn’t last.
Deandre Ayton dunks during the Suns’ win over the Nets’ on Jan. 19. USA TODAY SportsThe Nets promptly gave up a 12-2 run, with Cam Johnson — making his return after missing 37 consecutive games — capping it with a 3-pointer.
It left the Nets in a 30-21 hole with 2:36 remaining in the first. They showed a concerning lack of fight as the nine-point deficit just swelled to two dozen.
A Mikal Bridges and-one pushed the Phoenix lead to 81-57 with 7:13 to play in the third. Unable to slow Phoenix in their switching man, the Nets with a zone, and that — along with Irving — nearly stole one.
Kyrie Irving shoots during the Nets’ loss to the Suns on Jan. 19. APIrving found Nic Claxton (20 points, 11 boards) for a dunk to make it 103-98, and his floating bank shot pulled Brooklyn within 105-100 with 3:56 remaining.
Irving’s jumper 28 seconds later had Brooklyn down just 107-102. His step back 3 cut it to 113-110 with 11.5 ticks left in regulation, and the Suns’ Damion Lee missing one of two free throws gave the Nets a sliver of hope.
Claxton quickly dunked and Mikal Bridges (28 points) made just one of two again, leaving the Nets within 115-112. But Claxton got fouled and missed both with 6.6 seconds in regulation, and there would be no overtime.
Deandre Ayton scored 24 for the Suns.
