Nets looking to build momentum on upcoming homestand

The Nets volition look to transportation the vigor from their fantastic 4th fourth Friday successful Philadelphia into Sunday’s location opener astatine Barclays Center against Charlotte arsenic they extremity disconnected a six-game homestand. It’s a accidental to physique momentum against the Hornets (2-0).

“The homestand … look, if we were connected the road, astatine home, we’ve got to spell done this play wherever we’re exploring and getting to cognize each other, trying to fig this happening out. So, it doesn’t truly matter,” caput manager Steve Nash said. “We conscionable instrumentality it arsenic it comes and each the cliches are successful effect, support chipping distant astatine it.”

Still learning however to play with 10 caller faces — and without Kyrie Irving — the Nets (1-1) dug themselves into a 19-point first-quarter spread portion losing their season-opener successful Milwaukee. Then they faced a 14-point first-quarter shortage against the 76ers connected Friday, and they to adjacent connected a 16-1 tally to propulsion retired that one.

“It’s not going to beryllium beauteous for a small portion here,” Nash cautioned.

James Harden and the Nets volition beryllium looking to summation immoderate momentum during this six-game homestand.Getty Images

“It takes clip to find that bushed and combinations. And besides we mislaid a large piece. It’s not conscionable the caller pieces, it’s the void that we’re utilized to playing with. It’s a batch for america to instrumentality on. But hopefully successful the weeks coming, we commencement to wide immoderate of the debris truthful to talk and fig retired however we tin champion play together.”

The Nets are hoping it doesn’t instrumentality weeks.

With each owed respect to the Hornets, the docket gets easier with the reigning champion Bucks and past season’s apical effect 76ers retired of the way. But the Nets indispensable interruption the wont of spotting their foes immense leads retired of the gate.

“Yeah, we’ll fig it out,” James Harden said. “We don’t similar it astatine all. That’s the 1 happening that we speech astir is the dilatory starts. We’ll get past it. We’ll fig things retired and we’ll get disconnected to a amended pace, amended start, due to the fact that yet if we leap retired it’s going to beryllium hard for teams to support up with us.”

With Irving retired owed to his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Harden and Kevin Durant person had to instrumentality connected much of a burden. Harden is averaging 20 points, 8 assists and 7.5 rebounds. Durant has had to determination successful a monstrous 30.5 points, with 13 boards and 8 assists.

“We’re the champion astatine what we do, we’ll fig it out,” Harden said of Irving’s absence.

Said Durant: “We’re pros and we person to adapt. We weren’t readying connected having to bash this, but it’s bully for america to marque adjustments. It’s bully for guys who [weren’t] expecting to play bigger roles to measurement into those roles and spot who we are. This is the concern we’re in, and a batch of guys person taken vantage of it and are looking guardant to stepping up their game.”

Like LaMarcus Aldridge, who bounced backmost from a one-point opener successful Milwaukee to capable the relation of 3rd scorer successful Philadelphia.

Aldridge finished with 23 points connected 10-for-12 shooting with 2 blocks against the Sixers. He had 9 points during the pivotal 16-1 run, feasting successful the midrange.

“In this time and property the midrange is considered a atrocious shot, I guess. But I got 19,000-some points disconnected the midrange, truthful you archer maine it’s a atrocious changeable I don’t judge you,” said Aldridge, who is 25 points shy of 20,000. “Last twelvemonth I was told I’m 49 points from 20,000, truthful I don’t cognize wherever I’m astatine now. You don’t privation to number those things oregon you’ll person a agelong night. I’m going to spell play, and erstwhile I deed it I’ll deed it.”

The Nets volition look the Hornets connected Sunday and the Wizards connected Monday, truthful helium mightiness not person to hold long.