Getty Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets looks back towards fans.
There is a multitude of factors that can be attributed to the Brooklyn Nets turnaround during this 12-game win streak. But former Nets stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce believe that the turning point of Brooklyn’s season was when Kevin Durant called out his teammates in an interview with NBA insider Chris B. Haynes.
“I feel like everything started to change when Durant called out his teammates,” Pierce said on the December 16 episode of “Ticket & The Truth”.
“I remember he was like ‘what do you expect?’ And maybe they woke up from that, because since then he’s stepped up, and you know we always talk about you don’t throw your teammates under the bus to the media. This is something that could be private but sure he was also like ‘I’m Kevin Durant I can say this. I’m going to see where you are all at, and we are going to go one way or the other.’
Garnett also chimed in on the Nets’ recent success, attributing it to them being “focused on basketball”.
“You know what I think they’re focused on basketball. I can’t say the first two months it hasn’t felt like the focus has been on basketball, and it feels like it’s back on basketball,” Garnett said.
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Kyrie Irving Sounds off on Putback Dunk
During the Nets’ 103-139 blowout of the Spurs, Kyrie Irving had the entire NBA buzzing. In the second quarter, with Brooklyn already leading 44-27, Nets sharpshooter Yuta Watanabe put up a jumper with the shot clock expiring. Unfortunately for Watanabe, the shot missed, but Irving flew down the lane for a putback dunk that set Barclays Center on fire.
KAI BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN
Putback dunks are not really in the repertoire of the 6’2 Irving. But although he is not regarded as a high-flyer, the Nets star says his athleticism is underrated at times.
“I’m like this close to getting tired of people downplaying my athleticism at times in that locker room. I’m like this close. On a serious note, I’m glad I can have those types of plays at times to galvanize the group. Glad it went in. Good timing,” Irving said after the game.
“I’ve been working on my body for the last year and a half two years, especially recovering from that traumatic ankle injury I had during the 2021 playoffs, I just felt like I didn’t have my feet underneath me at the end of last season so coming into this season I definitely put an emphasis on being more on my toes and getting stronger and my foundational base. If you wanted to know the scientific aspect of that.”
Jacque Vaughan Praises Gregg Popovich
Another component of the Nets’ win streak has been the elevation of former assistant Jacque Vaughan to head coach. Under Vaughan, the Nets have a record of 23-7 and have climbed from the bottom of the Eastern Conference standing. Vaughan is another branch on the coaching tree of legendary Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. After their win over San Antonio Vaughan gave Popovich high praise for the role he has played in his career.
“I’m in this position because of him,” Vaughn told reporters after the win. “He saw something in me as a player, saw something in me when I was done playing, to have me a part of that organization, to share an office with him to see how he prepared for regular season games, for playoff games, for shootarounds.
To see how he cared for my family, to see how he’s still a mentor to me — I can call and talk to him about my kids, my wife, my job, all of the above. So a very important person in my life, and I wouldn’t be here without him.”
The Nets can extend their win streak to 13 with a win over the Chicago Bulls in their next game.