Brooklyn gets blown out in a dominant Indiana Pacers performance
Pascal Siakam was the standout player for Indiana, scoring 28 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton was relatively quiet, as he only had 14 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Cameron Thomas scored 22 points to lead the Nets as the rest of the team struggled again.
“We gotta play perfect games and win. Gotta do all the small things, can’t turn the ball over, can’t have 41 turnovers. Gotta protect your paint. We play pretty good defense, but they just throw the ball off the backboard, and their play starts then,” Coach Ollie said after the loss to Indy. “We just gotta hit, we gotta be back, we gotta keep people in front of us. When we get beat one-on-one, they gotta come help, our guards gotta be down, we just gotta do all the tough things.”
The Nets’ struggles continue
Apart from Thomas and Dorian Finney-Smith, the rest of the team struggled in this game. Mikal Bridges’ struggles are an issue, as he only scored seven points on 1-of-8 shooting. It is a worrying sign for Brooklyn, as they’re entering the final stretch, and one of their star players is still in an extended slump.
Outside of Mikal, Dennis Schroder also had a mediocre game, shooting 4-of-13 from the field and scoring 13 points. The Nets looked lethargic again, which Coach Ollie did not want to see because he wanted his team to play like “hunters” who took advantage of the situation.
The Nets still have a chance for the Play-In
Despite the two consecutive losses, Brooklyn still has a chance to make it into the Play-In Tournament. That is due to the Atlanta Hawks slipping up with a three-game losing streak. The Nets must play better in their next few games to qualify for the postseason.
It will require improved performances from the team, especially Bridges. As arguably the best player on the team, this slump must stop soon because his play can dictate Brooklyn’s result for the rest of the season.
