{"id":262289,"date":"2021-05-29T10:46:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-29T07:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/nets-supporting-cast-struggles-as-offense-stagnates\/"},"modified":"2021-05-29T10:46:00","modified_gmt":"2021-05-29T07:46:00","slug":"nets-supporting-cast-struggles-as-offense-stagnates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/nets-supporting-cast-struggles-as-offense-stagnates\/","title":{"rendered":"#Nets’ supporting cast struggles as offense stagnates"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Nets’ supporting cast struggles as offense stagnates<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s not a coincidence that the Nets\u2019 best offensive performance through three playoff game<\/a>s, their Game 2 win over the Celtics, was also their most balanced.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what happ<\/a>ens when the Big 3 of James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving aren\u2019t monopolizing the ball and field-goal attempts.<\/p>\n

Friday night wasn\u2019t one of those nights. The ball stuck. The Big 3 did most of the scoring. And the Nets lost for the first time this postseason, dropping Game 3 to the Celtics, 125-119, at TD Garden in Boston as their lead in this opening-round, best-of-seven series<\/a> was cut in half to 2-1.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought for big portions we got a little stagnant,\u201d Nets coach Steve Nash said. \u201cWe got away from our movement. I thought James was scoring in isolation, Kevin was scoring in isolation, but I still think that we can be more difficult to guard in general<\/a> if we move the ball and get to isolations as a second resort.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Kevin
Kevin Durant said the Nets\u2019 ball movement wasn\u2019t good enough in their 125-119 Game 3 loss to the Celtics. <\/figcaption>
NBAE via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Harden poured in 41 points, Durant had 39 and Irving chipped in 16. But the Nets had just 16 assists on 38 made field goals \u2014 15 fewer than they notched in Game 2, when six Nets scored in double figures.<\/p>\n

That wasn\u2019t the case Friday. Nets not named Harden, Irving and Durant combined for just 23 points. After exploding in Game 2 for 25 points, Joe Harris managed just eight points on 3-for-9 shooting. Blake Griffin was a non-factor, making just 1 of 5 shots. Expected to help fill the void left by injured key reserve Jeff Green (left foot), Nic Claxton posted a minus-21 rating in 16 minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was huge,\u201d Celtics guard Marcus Smart said of shutting down the Nets\u2019 supporting cast. \u201cThose guys hurt us in Game 2, especially Joe, [who] went off for seven 3\u2019s in Game 2. They fed off that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durant acknowledged the problem. There was too much one-on-one, not nearly enough movement with and without the ball.<\/p>\n