Nets explain Simmons ‘injury maintenance’ as Celts stay unbeaten; Lakers crushed – NBA Wrap

The Nets don’t do ethical victories.

But if Sunday (all instances AEDT) was a measuring stick — the second evening of a back-to-back, minus three starters towards the league’s greatest staff — there have been positives to be taken.

Just not fairly sufficient of them.

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The Nets ran out of gasoline late in a 124-114 loss to Boston earlier than a sellout crowd of 17,983 at Barclays Centre, as common with a wholesome dose of Celtic inexperienced available.

Minus starters Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson, the Nets had been down simply 96-95 with 7:28 to play.

But that’s when Boston — the NBA’s championship favorite and solely unbeaten staff left this season — reeled off an 11-2 run to lastly put Brooklyn away.

The absence of Simmons — whom the staff insists was merely taking a prearranged evening off to handle his well-documented again damage — was felt acutely.

With him went their prodigious quick break, and far of their offensive identification.

“I’m excited about seeing if we can continue conceptual basketball, how we want to play without [Simmons] being there,” coach Jacque Vaughn had mentioned. “The other night we shot 45 3s, and a big part of that was Ben’s ability to, after makes and misses, push [the] tempo for us. So could our other guards do that as well will be a challenge for us.

“I’d love to shoot 45 more 3s if we could versus [the Celtics]. But I think you’ll definitely miss Ben’s ability to grab rebounds, start our break, guard multiple positions but hopefully conceptually, the way we play, someone else can slide into that slot.”

It didn’t occur.

Cam Thomas poured in a team-high 27 factors, however the Nets hit simply 43 per cent from the ground and 17 of 52 from deep, getting slowed down within the halfcourt by Boston.

Mikal Bridges had 19 however struggled by way of a 7-for-20 taking pictures evening.

The Nets had run off at the very least 20 fast-break factors in each single sport this season, their longest such streak for the reason that stat began being tracked again in 1996-97.

They got here into the evening averaging a league-high 23.4 fast-break factors, however mustered simply seven within the loss.

The Nets trailed early, down 24-15 after Jrue Holiday discovered Jaylen Brown (23 factors) for a mid-range jumper.

But they closed the primary quarter on a 19-10 run to even the rating going into the second.

The Nets clawed forward, with ahead Dorian Finney-Smith — beginning a fifth straight sport at centre for injured starter Nic Claxton — hitting a 3-pointer off a Spencer Dinwiddie feed.

It gave the Nets a 41-36 edge with 9:43 left within the half. But it was short-lived.

A 9-0 Celtics blitz over the following two minutes left the Nets in a five-point gap, capped by a floater by Jayson Tatum (game-high 32 factors).

The Nets had been nonetheless down simply 62-58 after a put again dunk by Day’Ron Sharpe with 1:10 left within the second quarter.

But they allowed the Celtics to attain the final eight factors of the half, capped by a Tatum 27-footer with simply 0.3 seconds left.

The Nets trailed 70-58 on the break, and by no means led once more.

They virtually instantly made a run and climbed again into the sport, however might by no means fairly recover from the hump.

Thomas’ hook shot made it 87-86 with 2:25 remaining within the third, however the Nets by no means might pull forward.

Down 96-90, they pulled inside one once more on a 3-pointer by Dennis Smith Jr.

But Tatum responded with considered one of his personal, sparking an 11-2 run.

Boston opened the result in double digits and the sport was over.

Simmons’ absence was pronounced, however the Nets virtually instantly went to reassurance mode, comforting their followers that there was nothing amiss.

“The Ben piece is just injury maintenance for us,” Vaughn mentioned. “Overall, just assessing where we are this time of the season, with the back-to-back — not saying this will continue — but the maintenance is a part of his progression right now for this part of the season.”

-This story was initially revealed by Brian Lewis within the NY Post and reproduced with permission

CHAMPS CRUISE AS LAKERS SMASHED

Defending champion Denver seized the Western Conference lead, enhancing to 6-1 by defeating Chicago 123-101.

Nikola Jokic had 28 factors, 16 rebounds and 9 assists to steer the host Nuggets whereas Michael Porter added 27 factors and Aaron Gordon had 15 factors and 12 rebounds for Denver.

German ahead Franz Wagner scored 26 factors and Paolo Banchero added 25 factors and a career-high 10 assists to spark host Orlando over the Los Angeles Lakers 120-101.

“I’m feeling good,” Banchero mentioned. “I’ve put in a lot of work. It was a long summer. I can’t be more happy than I am to be back.

“You can score the ball, make the plays but making others better is what I love to do,” he mentioned of his 10 assists. “I went out there and tried to keep the defence honest.”

Anthony Davis had 28 factors, 13 rebounds and 7 blocked photographs and LeBron James added 24 factors, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and three steals for the Lakers, who started a four-game highway journey.

SIXERS ROLL PAST SUNS

Keeping tempo one sport behind the Celtics had been the Philadelphia 76ers as Joel Embiid scored 26 factors and grabbed 11 rebounds to steer the Sixers over visiting Phoenix 112-100.

Kelly Oubre added 25 factors, Tobias Harris had 18 factors and 10 rebounds and Tyrese Maxey contributed 22 factors, and 10 assists on his twenty third birthday to spark the 76ers (4-1).

“I was trying to be aggressive, whether I was making the right read, getting the assist or scoring the ball,” Maxey mentioned.

“I’m trying to pick my spots when to be ultra aggressive and when to get to the paint to get Joel a shot, get Kelly a shot, get them in the right spots. I think I’m doing a solid job of it right now.”

Maxey has proven a spark in changing veteran James Harden, who was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.

“Coach, Joel, Tobias, they trust me out there to see what I read out there on the court. Trust has been great and I appreciate them for that,” Maxey mentioned.

“I know what my role is so it has been great.” Kevin Durant scored a game-high 31 factors for the Suns with eight rebounds in a dropping trigger.

WOLVES, ROCKETS WIN

Anthony Edwards scored 31 factors and Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 to spark the host Minnesota Timberwolves over Utah 123-95.

Dillion Brooks scored 26 factors whereas Fred VanVleet and Jabari Smith every added 21 for Houston in a 107-89 overcome Sacramento.

Charlotte’s Mark Williams scored 27 factors and Gordon Hayward added 23 to energy the Hornets over host Indiana 125-124. Tyrese Haliburton scored 43 factors, matching a profession excessive, and added 12 assists for the Pacers.

Trae Young had 22 factors and 12 assists whereas Jalen Johnson added 21 factors and 11 rebounds to steer Atlanta over New Orleans 123-105 regardless of Zion Williamson’s game-high 25 factors for the Pelicans.

ALL RESULTS

SUNS 100 76ERS 112

HAWKS 123 PELICANS 105

LAKERS 101 MAGIC 120

HORNETS 125 PACERS 124

JAZZ 95 TIMBERWOLVES 123

KINGS 89 ROCKETS 107

CELTICS 124 NETS 114

BULLS 101 NUGGETS 123