Nets’ lack of ‘competitive spirit’ vs. Celtics can’t carry over

The Brooklyn Nets could not get it going against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

The Brooklyn Nets look like two completely different teams between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Now, competing against two of the top three teams in Eastern Conference on back-to-back nights isn’t easy, but Caris LeVert, Joe Harris and Jarrett Allen each went into Wednesday’s game with fresh legs after taking Tuesday off for various reasons — yet that was the game Brooklyn lost.

Not only did they lose, the Nets lost by over 30 and allowed the Celtics to post their highest point total (149) since 1992.

Having just come off their upset win over the Bucks, Harris told reporters on his post-game Zoom call this had nothing to do with ability. It was an effort issue:

It had nothing to do with them having more talent, this or that, being a better team overall. It was just strictly the fact that they played harder than us, and we can’t have that while we’re down here. We have to be able to compete night-in and night-out, not beat ourselves.

LeVert echoed the same sentiment:

Wish we would’ve had more competitive spirit starting the game, especially in the first half. They took advantage of it.

With the Nets down so many important players, they can’t afford to take their foot off the gas for one second if they hope to have further success in the bubble. Harris knows this:

We know that’s a tough road ahead of us, but we don’t have the luxury of being able to take a game and not compete, or have a half where we don’t compete. We’re going to have to play balls to the wall, 110 percent every single person, every night that we’re down here.

Brooklyn is back in action on Friday at 5 p.m. against the Sacramento Kings.