The Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday found themselves in the loss column, yet again, falling 153-121 to the Sacramento Kings in jaw-dropping fashion.
The Kings, riding a four-game win streak after the victory, dominated the Nets in all areas. Sacramento out-scored Brooklyn in the paint, 66-44, with a new season-high in points as seven players reached double figures.
Nets star forward Kevin Durant is the lone go-to man in Brooklyn with Kyrie Irving still yet to return from his suspension and Ben Simmons nonexistent in the box score on a night-to-night basis. Durant didn't hesitate to offer his blunt honesty after the concerning mid-November loss.
"Look at our starting lineup," Durant told Bleacher Report. "Edmond Sumner, Royce O'Neal, Joe Harris, (Nic) Claxton and me. It's not disrespect, but what are you expecting from that group? You expect us to win because I'm out there. So if you're watching from that lens, you're expecting us to play well because No. 7 is out there."
While absolutely slamming your subpar starting lineup might not be the ideal way to approach digesting an all-time loss, Durant is right. The Nets appear to be heading for an all-time low in the Durant-Irving era. The offense ranks 18th in the NBA after 15 games averaging 110.8 points per contest and they're among the worst in rebounding ranking 28th out of 30 teams.
Last season's blockbuster in which Brooklyn traded away former MVP James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Simmons, hasn't played out well, to say the least. Making six starts in 10 games played thus far, Simmons is averaging career lows with 5.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per contest. Meanwhile, Harden has averaged 22 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds in nine games for the 76ers, despite being in the midst of his recovery from a foot injury.
However, despite flirting with one of the worst seasons in his career, Durant remains positive.
"I'm really having a good time," Durant said. "I wish y'all could hear me talk during the game. If I got mic'd up more, people would stop asking me if I'm happy or not. I'm enjoying every moment I get to step on this (expletive) court, and part of that is because I tore my Achilles. And the pandemic, I didn't know if we were going to play again. I didn't know if I was going to play again."
Durant added: "I can play with anybody, anywhere, at any time, and you know I'm going to bring it every day. That should be my legacy."
The Nets, sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday, will next face off against the Portland Trail Blazers. Tipoff on Thursday from Moda Center is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET.
