Getty
The Nets’ defensive struggles have continued. Brooklyn allowed at least 31 points in every quarter Sunday night in an ugly 138-112 loss to the Phoenix Suns. After the game, head coach Kenny Atkinson expressed disappointment with the way his team played but is not in panic-mode just yet.
“I’m not going to overreact, because I think we’ve competed,” Atkinson said. “I like our team I like our process, I’m not going to overreact to this. We’ve competed played a lot of close games. They were on point, we were far from on point and that is kind of the story of the game.”
Brooklyn is now allowing 121.7 points per game, the most in the Eastern Conference.
Brooklyn got off to a rough start on Sunday, being outscored 68-50 in the first half. Kyrie Irving finished the game with 15 points but Brooklyn was outscored by 31 while the star guard was on the floor.
“You’ve got to give credit and respect when it’s due,” Irving said. “They came out really attacking our defense and our switching, got out to a 10-1 lead and never looked back after that.”
Irving has cooled off a bit since his hot start as his season average has dipped to 31.9 points per game. Kyrie knows he has to be the leader on the floor every time Brooklyn takes the floor.
“It starts on the outset, especially with me setting the tone,” Kyrie admitted. “I don’t think I shot one free throw tonight,w which is a telltale sign of just how aggressive I am not in the game, getting downhill and setting a precedent of slowing the game down and getting to my spots. A lot of the accountability falls on me.”
The Nets won’t have much time to regroup. Brooklyn’s five-game road trip continues Tuesday night against the Utah Jazz.
Follow the Heavy on Nets Facebook page for all the latest stories, rumors and viral content!
Claxton Gets The Call
Before the road trip, Brooklyn announced they were calling up 2019 second-round pick Nicolas Claxton from the Long Island Nets, their NBA G League Affiliate. Claxton scored eight points and grabbed six boards in his NBA debut, a 119-115 win over the Portland Trail Blazers Friday night.
After Claxton’s debut, Spencer Dinwiddie was singing the praises of the young rookie.
“Nic is the second most talented player on this team,” Dinwiddie declared. “Nic has got game, he’s got a chance.”
You’re going to want to watch this @SDinwiddie_25 interview 🎥
Claxton followed that up with four points, four boards, and two assists in 12 minutes on Sunday against the Suns.
The rookie made his professional debut during the preseason, averaging 7.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in three games. In two seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs, the South Carolina native averaged 8.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
Claxton comes from a great basketball pedigree. His father, Charles, was also a standout for Georgia in the early ’90s. Charles was later selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the 1994 NBA Draft. Nicolas was a defensive star in college and led the SEC in rebounding his last season at Georgia.
READ NEXT: Injured Nets Star Makes Appearance on Practice Floor [WATCH]
Follow Jared Smith on Twitter: @jaredleesmith