Brooklyn Nets Blog – Page 10 – NBA Blog

Celtics take 2-0 playoff series lead on Nets

Via the New York Daily News:

Steve Nash wants fans to think that the Nets’ playoff aspirations aren’t just dependent on Kevin Durant; his team’s success is a result of good teamwork rather than the superstars they signed to max contracts.

The Nets’ 114-107 Game 2 defeat to the Celtics, as well as a regular season that spiraled while both of those stars were unavailable, proved otherwise. The Nets’ supporting cast couldn’t handle the weight in a game where none of their stars showed up.

Durant, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and four-time NBA scoring champion, bowed to the pressure and intensity of the league-best Celtics’ defense for the second game in a row. And the Nets paid the price with a loss for the second game in a row, which hurt even more than the buzzer-beating game-winner that lost them Game 1.

In Game 2, Durant turned the ball over six times after missing 15 shots and turning the ball over six times in Game 1, and he shot 4-of-17 from the field for 27 points, almost all of which came at the foul line. He went to the free throw line 20 times, converting on 18 of them.

— Full Article

With playoffs set to begin, Kevin Durant assumes Ben Simmons will remain inactive

With the NBA playoffs starting this weekend, there is no reason to expect that Ben Simmons will make his Brooklyn Nets debut anytime soon. Via ESPN.com:

As the speculation surrounding Ben Simmons’ potential debut for the Brooklyn Nets continues to be a talking point inside the NBA, Nets star Kevin Durant admitted Thursday that he is preparing as if Simmons won’t return as the Nets get ready for their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup with the Boston Celtics.

“I’m not expecting him to play,” Durant said after practice Thursday. “That’s easier for me. I’m not putting any pressure on Ben to come out there and hoop. So I’m not expecting him to do anything but just to get his body right and get healthy as fast as he can. So in my mind, I’m preparing as if we’re playing with the team we have.”

Simmons, who was acquired by the Nets just before the February trade deadline from the Philadelphia 76ers, has not played in an NBA game in almost a year after requesting a trade from the Sixers last season, citing mental health concerns. Simmons has been dealing with some back soreness since late February and has not been cleared to participate in a practice since coming to Brooklyn. Nets coach Steve Nash said Thursday that Simmons still isn’t doing any “basketball conditioning” and continues to do individual rehab work.

Craig Randall II wins 2021-22 G League Most Improved Player award

Long Island Nets guard Craig Randall II has been named the 2021-22 NBA G League Most Improved Player, the NBA G League announced today.

The award, which honors the player who demonstrates the most significant improvement during the season, was voted on by NBA G League head coaches and general managers.

In his first NBA G League season, Randall (6-4, 185, Tennessee-Martin) averaged 26.7 points, 6.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds in 27 regular-season games. He finished second in the voting for the 2021-22 Kia NBA G League Rookie of the Year Award.

Randall earned a spot on the Nets’ roster in October 2021 after participating in a local tryout. He was named the NBA G League Player of the Month for games played in February, becoming the first local tryout player to earn Player of the Month honors.

Earlier in the regular season, Randall was named the NBA G League Player of the Week for games played from Jan. 5-9 after scoring 40 points against the College Park Skyhawks on Jan. 5 and 44 points against the Greensboro Swarm on Jan. 7.

Prior to the regular season, Randall averaged 11.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 14 games for Long Island during the 2021 NBA G League Showcase Cup.

Delaware Blue Coats forward Braxton Key and Skyhawks forward Justin Tillman finished in second and third place, respectively, in the voting for the 2021-22 Kia NBA G League Most Improved Player Award.

Nets sign Kessler Edwards, who had been on two-way deal, to standard NBA contract

The Brooklyn Nets have signed two-way forward Kessler Edwards to a standard NBA contract.

Edwards (6’8”, 215) was selected by Brooklyn with the 44th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and signed a two-way contract with the Nets on Aug. 16, 2021.

In 47 games (22 starts) for Brooklyn this season, Edwards has averaged 5.8 points and 3.6 rebounds in 20.2 minutes per game while shooting 40.8 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from 3-point range and 82.4 percent from the free-throw line.

The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native’s 22 starts mark the most starts for a rookie selected 44th or lower in Nets history. He also appeared in seven games (all starts) for Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, during the NBA G League Showcase Cup, posting averages of 15.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.6 blocks in 34.0 minutes per contest.

Prior to joining the Nets, Edwards played three collegiate seasons (2018-21) at Pepperdine, where he was an All-WCC First Team selection as a junior, an All-WCC Second Team selection as a sophomore and named to the WCC All-Freshman team after his first season.

Nets waive James Johnson

The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on forward James Johnson.

Johnson signed with the Nets as a free agent on Aug. 6, 2021, and appeared in 62 games (10 starts) for Brooklyn this season, recording averages of 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 19.2 minutes per game. In 747 career games (242 starts) across 13 seasons with Brooklyn, New Orleans, Dallas, Minnesota, Miami, Toronto, Memphis, Sacramento and Chicago, he has averaged 7.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 20.5 minutes per contest.

Longtime Nets official scorer Herb Turetzky has passed away

The Brooklyn Nets mourn the loss of longtime official scorer Herb Turetzky, who passed away on Monday, April 4, at the age of 76.

For 54 years, Turetzky was synonymous with Nets Basketball. He was the one constant since the inception of the franchise, and his passing leaves a void that can never be filled. A fixture at center court, he touched the lives of generations of Nets players, staff and fans, leaving an indelible mark on those who knew him. His warm smile and kind-hearted nature will be forever missed by all at Barclays Center, and his legacy will endure for years to come.

Turetzky is survived by his wife of 51 years, Jane, their daughter, Jennifer, son, David, daughter-in-law, Heather, and grandchildren, Jack and Harper.

A native of Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood, Turetzky scored the first game in franchise history, a matchup between the New Jersey Americans and Pittsburgh Pipers of the American Basketball Association (ABA) on Oct. 23, 1967, at the Teaneck Armory while he was a senior at Long Island University. That game began a career that spanned more than 2,200 games and was eventually certified as a record for professional basketball games scored in the Guinness Book of World Records. Turetzky also worked 1,465 consecutive regular season and playoff games, beginning in the 1984-85 season and concluding in Oct. 2018. Turetzky’s tenure saw him score games in eight home arenas with more than 500 players donning a Nets uniform in that span. He was on hand to score the greatest moments in franchise history, including ABA championships in 1974 and 1976 and consecutive trips to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.

Turetzky earned a number of honors throughout his career with the Nets, including his induction into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame and the Basketball Old Timers of America Hall of Fame.

The Nets honored Turetzky at their game versus the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 16, 2021, bestowing him the title of official scorer emeritus and dedicating the scorer’s table at Barclays Center as the ‘Herb Turetzky Scorer’s Table’ in a ceremony attended by his family, former players and a group of close friends.

Nets guard/forward Joe Harris undergoes ankle ligament reconstruction surgery

Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Joe Harris underwent successful left ankle ligament reconstruction surgery today. The procedure was performed by Dr. Robert Anderson at Bellin Hospital in Green Bay, Wisc. Harris is expected to make a full recovery prior to next season’s training camp.

Harris appeared in 14 games this season, averaging 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 30.2 minutes per contest.

Ben Simmons has herniated disk, says Nets coach Steve Nash

Ben Simmons hasn’t made his Brooklyn Nets debut yet, and while there may be more than one reason why, a herniated disk is a big factor. Via the New York Daily News:

Nets head coach Steve Nash confirmed reports that star forward Ben Simmons has aggravated his herniated disk, a back injury he’s been dealing with for several years dating back to his time with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Nash said the herniated disk is why Simmons, the 25-year-old two-time All-Star who was the highlight of the James Harden trade, received an epidural on March 15.

“He’s had this (a herniated disk) a couple of years ago, so he’s had this throughout his career at some points,” Nash said ahead of tipoff against the Jazz on Monday.

Kevin Durant and Luka Doncic named NBA Players of Week for Week 21

The NBA announced today that Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Monday, March 7, through Sunday, March 13.

The honor is Durant’s third as a Net and the 29th Player of the Week award of his career.

Durant led Brooklyn to a perfect 3-0 week, recording averages of 30.7 points on 52.2 percent shooting from the field, 36.4 percent shooting from 3-point range and 87.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 7.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 38.2 minutes per game. Durant was one of two players in the East to average at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists for the week and finished the week ranked first in the East in plus/minus (+53), sixth in points per game, seventh in minutes per game and eighth in assists per game. Durant opened the week by totaling 14 points, three rebounds and seven assists in 40 minutes in Brooklyn’s 132-121 road victory over the Charlotte Hornets on March 8. He followed up that effort by registering 25 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and two steals in 32 minutes in a 129-100 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on March 10. Durant finished the week with a brilliant performance in a 110-107 home victory over the New York Knicks yesterday, scoring a Nets season-high 53 points to go along with six rebounds, nine assists and two steals in 43 minutes. The 53 points were the second-most scored in a game in Durant’s career, trailing only a 54-point performance with Oklahoma City versus Golden State on Jan. 17, 2014. The 53 points also represented the third-most points in a game in Nets NBA history, trailing only Deron Williams’ 57 points on March 4, 2012, at Charlotte and Kyrie Irving’s 54 points on Jan. 31, 2020, versus Chicago.

As for Doncic, this marks the second time this season (Feb. 7-13, 2022) and the sixth time in his career he has received the honor (Nov. 18-24, 2019; Jan. 4-10, 2021; March 29-April 4, 2021; April 19-25, 2021). Dirk Nowitzki (16 times) is the only Maverick to win the award more times.

Dončić (6-7, 230) has now been named Western Conference Player of the Week in two of the last three weeks, in addition to being named Western Conference Player of the Month for February. Dončić led the Mavericks to a 3-1 week with averages of 30.5 points (.494 FG), 11.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks in 36.5 minutes.

The 23-year-old began the week by posting game highs of 35 points (12-23 FG, 5-11 3FG, 6-7 FT), 16 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals to go with 1 block in 38 minutes in the Mavericks’ 111-103 victory over Utah on Mar. 7. It marked his first career game recording 35-plus points, 15-plus rebounds, 7-plus assists and 3-plus steals, and he became the first player to hit each of those benchmarks in a game this season.

A game after Dončić posted a game-high 31 points in the Mavericks’ loss to New York on Mar. 9, Dončić posted game highs of 30 points (9-19 FG, 5-11 3FG, 7-10 FT) and 14 rebounds to go along with 6 assists and a game-high-tying 2 blocks in 36 minutes in Dallas’ 113-100 win in Houston on Mar. 11. The performance marked just the second time in his career he reached those numbers in a game (34 points, 20 boards, 12 assists, 2 blocks at SAC on 8/4/20). Dončić also became one of seven players to achieve that stat line in a game this season (joining Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, Karl Anthony-Towns) and the only guard to do it in 2021-22.

Dončić capped the week by helping the Mavericks snap Boston’s 5-game win streak with a game-high 26 points to go with 8 rebounds and a game-high 8 assists in the Mavericks’ 95-92 win on national television. The three-time All-Star helped Dallas erase a 13-point second-half deficit for their league-leading 14th double-digit comeback win to improve to a season-high 16 games above .500 (42-26).

Nets fined $50,000 by NBA for Kyrie Irving reasons

The Brooklyn Nets organization has been fined $50,000 for violating local New York City law and league health and safety protocols during the team’s March 13th game against the New York Knicks at Barclays Center, the NBA announced today.

The violation occurred when the Nets permitted Kyrie Irving, who was in attendance at the game, to enter the team’s locker room.