Many viewed the Nets-Lakers clash on Saturday night as a preview of the NBA Finals. But it had no resemblance to championship basketball.
When the teams took off, three superstars were already missing. A fourth put himself off when Kyrie Irving was sent off early in the third quarter. And by the time it was over, the remaining champion, Lakers, had beaten the Nets’ surplus, 126-101, before 1,773 fans at Barclays Center disappointed.
League competition has sometimes been under scrutiny this season, and it will be again after Irving and Lakers point guard Dennis Schroder were both put out for the first time in a joint 18 NBA campaign over what appeared to be nothing but typical not. court pooping at each other.
Kevin Durant led the Nets with 22 points, and the outstanding Irving scored 18 within 21 minutes. But that was not the only reason the Nets (36-17) lost this. They did not need any help from the officials to do so. For the cause of this defeat they just need to look in the mirror.
The Nets play without James Harden, MVP candidate, with a tense thigh muscle. But they face a Lakers team that is missing not only superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but also Kyle Kuzma and Marc Gasol.
It did not matter: Andre Drummond, buyout entrepreneur, was enough for the Lakers.
‘It would be a huge challenge for us [facing them healthy]”Nets coach Steve Nash said. ‘Obviously the addition of Andre gives them size and an excellent center, but at the same time I think the reason the Lakers were champions last year is because AD is the best small ball center and LeBron the best small ball four, at least in the playoffs last year.
‘I think it just gives them options and depth and a different facet. If they want to grow up, they have another man who can do a lot of things in the middle position. Choose your poison. They will be very formidable with the smaller version of their foreland or the large version. ”
There was a big lament from general managers in small markets when the Nets reached the buyout market to get the big men LaMarcus Aldridge and Blake Griffin. But Griffin finishes with just two points, while Aldridge is bullied much of the night by Drummond (20 points, 11 rebounds).
Drummond was so physically dominant that Nash tried to prevent him from even using the resilient but slender young Nic Claxton on him. And while the opportunity seemed for DeAndre Jordan, the 6-foot-11, 265-pounder remained out of the rotation for the fifth consecutive game.
The Nets shot 50.5 percent – 19-for-34 from 3-point range – and eight Lakers passed in double figures, including Schroder, who had 19 in barely 20 minutes.
The Nets were largely outplayed from the start and trailed 11-2 to a Schroder three-pointer with 9:33 left in the first quarter.
Drummond isolated Aldridge and bullied in to erase the Lakers’ lead to 18-7. The Lakers hit seven of their first eight – 3-of-4 from deep – and the tone was set for the rest of the night by a team that did not look forward.
‘Honestly, my attitude is to try to win [Saturday’s]) game, really. It’s nothing more, ”Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “We’re not looking down the road.”
At one point, Drummond struggled with four nets to make a setback, and Irving even managed to make it five-on-one. Does not matter. Drummond still corrected it, as the Nets got battered on the boards early.
With the Nets trailing 49-39 halfway through the second quarter, they won a 17-3 run to take the lead. A Durant setback tied it at 52 with four minutes left in the half.
Durant crossed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and dived over Drummond to give the Nets the lead. This made Durant’s mother, Wanda, rejoice at her feet over the front row. Aldridge clinched the run and gave the Nets a 56-52 lead.
They could not hold it.
With the Nets trailing by just 66-62 and 9:41 left in the third, Irving and Schroder started jaw-dropping each other and both were sent off.
On his way off the floor, Irving tossed his sweater to fans as he headed back to the locker room. He took with him the momentum the Nets had.
The Nets immediately gave up a 22-9 run and fell 88-71 behind. It only grew from there into the fourth when the Nets exploded.