Their longest dropping skid of the season.
Their worst collapse of the season.
And a headlong tumble all the way in which into the dreaded play-in.
It’s onerous to think about Thursday’s 116-114 implosion in opposition to Cleveland going a lot worse.
The Nets blew a recreation they not solely wanted however had wrapped up, falling earlier than a shocked sellout crowd of 17,732 at Barclays Middle.
And falling out of the assured playoff spots as effectively.
Brooklyn led 112-104 with 1:53 left in regulation, and couldn’t even maintain on to power additional time.
They allowed a 12-2 run to shut the sport, coming unraveled on the worst attainable time with three turnovers within the remaining 1:18.
“Turnovers. I began it with the turnover after which it simply went after that. Simply turnovers and simply didn’t execute,” stated Mikal Bridges, who had a game-high 32 factors go to waste. “You’ve simply obtained to determine it out. Perhaps it’s movie or one thing. It’s irritating, however we’ve obtained to determine it out.
“I imply, clearly we prefer to maintain power and morale excessive. However it’s devastating dropping like that. However everyone’s speaking, we’re all making an attempt to assist one another.”
The Nets (39-34) are actually two full video games behind the fifth-place Knicks, and dropped half a recreation behind the fast-charging Warmth — whom they play Saturday in Miami — for the sixth and remaining playoff spot within the Japanese Convention.
“It’s undoubtedly irritating,” Joe Harris stated. “However I believe collectively throughout the board, we’re clearly conscious of the place we sit within the standings and the significance of each recreation right here down the stretch.”
This was one recreation they need to’ve had.
It wasn’t Donovan Mitchell’s 31 factors that beat them. They beat themselves.
The Nets had turned a nine-point deficit right into a 10-point fourth-quarter lead, solely to observe Cleveland claw again inside a deuce with below a minute left.
Spencer Dinwiddie — who had 25 factors and 12 assists — tried to offer them respiratory room with a finger roll that made it 114-110 with 29 seconds left in regulation.
However after a Mitchell step-back halved the lead, Dinwiddie obtained trapped and no Nets flashed to assist.
Fairly than name timeout, he tried an ill-advised go to Dorian Finney-Smith, who turned it over to ex-Internet Caris LeVert with 13.3 seconds left to play.
“Once you’re getting trapped, you’re presupposed to have a pair guys flash to the ball. It was somewhat bit delayed so generally you attempt to throw a man open. In hindsight, I ought to’ve simply referred to as a timeout,” Dinwiddie stated. “I settle for full duty for that. That’s not on [Finney-Smith], that’s on me. He hadn’t been within the recreation, so it’s not on him.”
Mitchell obtained fouled and went to the road.
He made simply one among two, however the Nets failed to guard the defensive glass. Mitchell — who both left early or timed his break completely — beat all of the Nets to get his personal rebound, and after a mad scramble Issac Okoro drilled a left-corner 3-pointer that proved the winner.
“Donovan missed it and someway with out crossing the road, the ball obtained again to him, after which it was only a scramble from there. We obtained an opportunity to get our arms on it once more, and it ended up of their arms, so that you give them credit score for persevering with to combat on that aspect,” coach Jacque Vaughn stated.
“I haven’t seen it. I might assume [Mitchell left early] since he obtained the rebound. On the finish of the day, pay attention, I imply I’m as onerous on the refs as anybody, however we needed to get to that time,” Dinwiddie stated. “That’s a bang-bang play, it’s not like he shoved any person out of bounds or one thing loopy the place we obtained super-slighted. We needed to have a cascade of occasions to even obtained there. So we gotta be accountable for that.”
Bridges missed a half-court heave.
The Nets are in a free fall, one which has dumped them into the dreaded play-in.
On March 13 they have been in fifth place, having received 5 of six and forward of not solely the Knicks however having fun with a three-game cushion on Miami.
However they haven’t had a lot pleasure since then.
Harris had 12 of his 15 within the fourth quarter, together with his 1,000th 3-pointer as a Internet.
