Brooklyn @ Denver preview
Ball Arena
Last Meeting ( Jan 26, 2022 ) Denver 124, Brooklyn 118
The Brooklyn Nets had championship aspirations before this season with James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving getting a full year together and other pieces falling into place.
Those title dreams are falling during Brooklyn's current nosedive. The Nets have lost seven in a row and are 2-8 since Durant went down with a sprained MCL. Durant is not expected back for a few weeks, and now the Nets playing without Harden, who is also being talked about in trade rumors ahead of this week's deadline.
Brooklyn will try to end its longest skid in two seasons when it plays at the Denver Nuggets on Sunday afternoon. The Nets will attempt to end their slide without Harden, who was ruled out of Sunday's contest because of tightness in his left hamstring.
Both teams are coming off disappointing losses from Friday night. The Nets were blown out in Utah, 125-102, on a night the Jazz shot 56.5 percent from the field and were 17 of 38 from 3-point range.
"We want to be able to impact the basketball on the defensive end so we're not taking the ball out of the rim every single time," Irving said. "That's a demoralizing way to play basketball."
The buzz ahead of Thursday's trade deadline is centering on Harden and a possible deal to bring Ben Simmons over from Philadelphia. Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said Harden is not focusing on what could happen but is taking care of his sore left hamstring.
"I don't think he pays attention in that way where it affects him," Nash said. "I think that's an outside noise thing rather than something that we're internally going, ‘Wait a minute.' No, I think we're like, ‘Here we go, more noise.'"
The Nuggets already made a deal ahead of the trade deadline, acquiring Bryn Forbes from San Antonio in a three-team swap that sent two injured Denver players to Boston. Denver could still be active before Thursday, but a more immediate concern is stopping a three-game skid.
The Nuggets lost at home to New Orleans on Friday night, their first game back after playing six on the road. Like the Nets, Denver's defense was lacking; the Pelicans shot 56 percent in the eight-point win and 68.8 percent in the second half.
The Nuggets also had 15 turnovers and were outrebounded by seven.
The defense has been an issue throughout the season, and only some of it can be attributed to Denver coming off of a long road trip.
"I think it starts on the ball, it starts off the ball, we foul too much, we put teams on the foul line a lot, we reach, and we gamble. Just a lack of discipline is what I would call it, but it's definitely on the ball," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. "Those are embarrassing numbers. That's not even remotely close to being a team that is giving forth the necessary effort on defense. When you do that and you turn it over, you're not going to win."
The Nuggets played without Aaron Gordon for the second straight game due to a left hamstring injury. His status for Sunday hasn't been announced.
--Field Level Media