NEW YORK — Just when you think it can’t get any worse, in comes the stark reminder that there’s always another level below the basement.
Kevin Durant said it best: The coach can only do so much. It falls on the players to make an impact in a game.
Those players did not step up in the first game following Steve Nash’s dismissal as Nets head coach. The Nets led by as many as 12 but ultimately forfeited that lead in a 108-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.
And Durant was the first Net to walk off the floor after the loss, leaving the floor after putting his head into a towel.
“The message I told the guys afterwards, no excuses,” said interim coach Jacque Vaughn after the game. “Whether it’s back-to-back, no excuses. Whether the change in scenery of today, no excuses. This is what we do for a living. We signed up for it. It was gameday, so we’ve got to bring it.”
It was a sight for sore eyes. Kyrie Irving was a complete non-factor. Under the pressure of his controversial post on social media, Irving finished with four points and seven assists on 2-of-12 shooting from the field. The star guard was anything but bright against the Bulls, missing all six of his attempts from downtown.
“I thought he got some good looks. So we’ll take those any time,” Vaughn said. “We need him to be at premium level every night for us. That’s just part of how we’re built and trust that he’ll be ready to do it again.”
Durant scored 32 points on 9-of-17 shooting from downtown but without Ben Simmons, he was forced to play the facilitator role. Durant turned the ball over six times with multiple miscues down the stretch.
The Nets built an advantage in the fourth quarter, somewhat powered by Royce O’Neale, the newly acquired 3-and-D wing who set a new career-high with 20 points on a 3 he made at the 8:44 mark in the final period. After hitting that 3, he pointed at different players on the Bulls’ bench.
The Nets never had control of the game again.
Zach LaVine stole the show, scoring 22 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter. DeMar DeRozan added 20 points and former Net Goran Dragic scored 15 points off the bench.
What happens next with these Nets is uncertain. They play the Washington Wizards on Friday but it is unclear whether Vaughn will remain at the helm or if general manager Sean Marks will hire Nash’s replacement before then.
What’s clear in Brooklyn, however, is what Durant said days before Nash’s dismissal. It’s more than just coaching. It’s on the individual, and Durant has been the only individual consistently showing up for the Nets this season.
