Already missing Kevin Durant and unable to rely on Kyrie Irving, the Nets were dealt a blow in the hours leading up to Wednesday’s showdown with Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets as James Harden was ruled out with a hamstring injury. To make matters worse, Nic Claxton was ruled out as the Nets were playing the second half of a back-to-back.
Patty Mills, LaMarcus Aldridge and Cam Thomas led the way offensively for the Nets, combining for 64 points as a trio, and Brooklyn exploded for 37 points in the second quarter to take an 11-point lead into halftime.
The Nets’ defensive issues reared their head in the third, however, as Denver stormed back with 42 points in the period to take control of the game. Jokic finished the game with a near-triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebound and eight assists, and Austin Rivers hit seven threes off the bench to finish with 25.
The Nuggets held on in the fourth, handing the Nets their third consecutive loss. The schedule won’t get any easier for Brooklyn, as the Nets will now hit the road for a five-game trip, with stops in Golden State (Jan. 29), Phoenix (Feb. 1), Sacramento (Feb. 2), Utah (Feb. 4) and Denver (Feb. 6).
Here’s what fans and analysts were saying about Wednesday’s game: