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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After probably the most tumultuous weeks in latest NBA historical past, an expression that appeared inconceivable to fathom only a few days in the past appeared on the faces of Brooklyn Nets gamers and coaches after a come-from-behind 98-94 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night time — a smile.
The joyous scene Saturday night time inside Spectrum Heart capped per week that included Nets guard Kyrie Irving initially defending his choice to put up a couple of film and ebook that featured antisemitic themes and the Nets asserting that Steve Nash was out as head coach Tuesday. Because the week progressed, the Nets suspended Irving for at the very least 5 video games after he didn’t formally apologize for his put up throughout a Thursday afternoon information convention, although Irving went on to apologize late Thursday night time. Amid the chaos, the Nets misplaced 4 straight video games.
Saturday’s win was Brooklyn’s second straight. Like many inside the Nets’ touring social gathering, star ahead Kevin Durant smiled proudly on the postgame podium whereas noting this week was “most likely going to be the hardest factor we cope with as a gaggle.”
“It was a novel expertise for positive,” Durant mentioned after the sport. “However loads of guys been by means of various things on this league earlier than, and loads of guys have been by means of some adversity on this league off the court docket. Having to lock again in and focus solely on the sport, I feel that all of us get a little bit little bit of solace in doing that, simply taking part in the sport of basketball, getting that camaraderie, that comradeship together with your teammates, I feel that was capable of get us by means of.”
With the Nets trying drained down the stretch Saturday, it was Durant who helped lead his crew again to victory by making a number of key performs down the stretch. Durant, who completed with 27 factors, was inserted again into the sport with 6:30 left in regulation and the Nets down 87-75. From there, Durant took over and helped create house for his teammates because the Nets clawed again for one more much-needed victory.
“There’s going to be extra peaks and valleys all through the season, however that is most likely going to be the hardest factor we cope with as a gaggle,” Durant mentioned. “To know that we will get by means of this and proceed to stay collectively, I feel that is essential.”
Durant was requested if this was essentially the most difficult week of his profession.
“I’ve had some weeks — we have fired coaches earlier than, guys received injured. It was only a robust week,” Durant mentioned. “However yeah, I have been by means of some robust weeks earlier than. I do not need to act like that is some anomaly. There’s loads of s— that goes on within the NBA. It is a chaotic league. And we’re with one another every single day, it is a six-month, seven-month season. One thing goes to occur.
“So it is actually all about the way you bounce again, and I am glad we had been capable of bounce again, get two wins. However we received to maintain pushing, preserve constructing. That is the factor.”
After the backlash in opposition to Irving and Nash’s exit as head coach, the sensation of aid inside the Nets’ locker room was palpable late Saturday night time as gamers and coaches celebrated the win.
“I simply suppose we rallied round one another,” Durant mentioned. “It was a tricky week for us. And it is all the time good to only get again to the sport. As soon as the ball is tipped all of the bulls— goes out the window.
“So I feel all people was simply ready to get again to taking part in, and we additionally misplaced three or 4 video games earlier than that, so we simply felt some delight and needed to come back out right here and get some W’s. So it is good for our character, it is good for the vitality of the crew and to struggle by means of adversity.”
The Nets head to Dallas to play the Mavericks on Monday night time, in search of their third straight win in per week the group will not quickly neglect.
“That was a gritty, dirty, Brooklyn-esque sort of fourth quarter,” Nets interim head coach Jacque Vaughn mentioned. “21-7 run to complete the sport — however guys simply stored combating play after play.”
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