Kyrie Irving spoke loudly and clearly after the Brooklyn Nets dropped their third straight game, an embarrassing loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Every team hits bumps in the road but the Brooklyn Nets were clearly hoping for a much smoother ride. Tuesday night’s double-digit loss to the Detroit Pistons (tied for the worst record in the league) gave the Nets three straight losses.
Since James Harden joined the team they have had moments where they looked unstoppable, and moments where they looked like an utter mess. All together, they are 7-6 since Harden joined the team, with a negative point differential and a defense that’s allowing an astronomical 119.4 points per 100 possessions.
It’s worth noting that the two most recent losses have come with Kevin Durant out of the lineup for COVID-19 quarantine because of a possible exposure but frustrations are understandably still high.
What did Kyrie Irving have to say after the Nets’ third straight loss?
Kyrie Irving’s post-game comments acknowledged the adversity the team has faced.
Kyrie Irving says,
— Ajayi Browne (@ajayibrowne) February 10, 2021
“We’re the team that gets someone taken out during COVID during the games. We’re the team that has to deal with the refs. We’re the team that is battling against so many odds.”
But he also made a point of pushing things in a positive direction, warning the rest of the league that at some point the wrinkles would be ironed out and the Nets would be firing on all cylinders.
Kyrie Irving: "As a warrior that I am, and the energy that I have alongside my teammates, we just have to turn that corner. We haven’t done it yet, but we will. I’m telling you, the league’s going to be on notice when that happens." pic.twitter.com/rmb3VlEMTt
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) February 10, 2021
Getting Durant back in the lineup will certainly help but the Nets are also struggling with a lack of depth. The cupboard of trade assets is pretty bare after acquiring Harden but they’ll likely be trying to scrape together a deal at the deadline, as well as pushing hard for any veterans who are cut loose by late-season buyouts.
Things don’t get much easier for the Nets, with games against the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers looming before the early March All-Star Break.