Kyrie Irving minced no words when he called out his team after their embarrasing 139-96 loss to the Boston Celtics.
Irving’s history with Boston just made the clash all the more spicier, but this time, the guard was at the receiving end when Brooklyn suffered a blowout defeat. The team was held to less than three figures.
His 20 points, coupled with 4 rebounds, and 4 assists wasn’t enough as the Celtics, led by their dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum (31 points) and Jaylen Brown (26 points) hammered the Nets.
Speaking to the media in the aftermath of the loss, Irving criticized the Nets saying they “were just in the way” of Boston’s demolition mission. Per ClutchPoints:
“It’s clear as day that they want to win the championship and they’re not wasting any time in the regular season. Tonight it felt like we were just one of those teams in the way. We can’t be just one of those teams in the way. We gotta be one of those teams that stands up to them.”
Boston came into the contest on the back of a controversial win against the Los Angeles Lakers, but they seemed to have put all the furor behind them as they pummeled the Nets to submission.
The Brooklyn Nets Have Been Inconsistent In Kevin Durant’s Absence
It’s not been an easy run for the Nets ever since Kevin Durant suffered an MCL sprain against the Miami Heat. In the 11 games the team has played in his absence, they have won just four games, and have lost to the Celtics twice in that window.
The good news is Durant’s return is over the horizon. The Nets’ mainstay was reported to return before the All-Star Break, and that comes as a relief. He was averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists before going down with the injury.
Much has rested on Irving’s shoulders since and to his credit, the 30-year-old has done his part averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 boards, and 5.3 assists. However, the results haven’t really been in their favor.
The Nets are still prime playoff contenders with a 31-20 record. They are placed fourth in the East and are one of the teams touted to go the distance if Durant and Irving can stay healthy. But they will need to get their consistency back if they intend to be the threat they’re perceived to be.
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