The Colorado Springs Gazette final

New-look Nets battle early growing pains

New York: It’s going to take some time before it looks right.

The Nets are sitting on an offense with new philosophies, a defense with new schemes and a roster with new key players entering the rotation. With so many changes made during the offseason and training camp, the Nets were bound to experience some growing pains.

Nets coach Steve Nash admitted the preseason opener was full of them.

“We’ve got to go through this period where guys are learning to play with one another,” he said. “It’s not always going to be pretty and it’s gonna be a little bit ugly at times . ... So being able to slog through that and stay positive while we do have some growing pains, it’s just a part of the process.”

Nash called Monday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers “a mixed bag,” noting positives in the movement, pace and understanding of the newly installed offense — while also citing room to improve on the defensive end.

The Nets lost to a 76ers team that rested four key players including both Joel Embiid and James Harden, 127-108, in Ben Simmons’ debut against his former team. Each member of the Brooklyn Big 3 played in 19 of the 24 first-half minutes before sitting the second half.

In minutes where Nash deployed multiple lineups with either one, two or all three of his stars on the floor, the Nets dug a 20-point hole by the 8:13 mark of the second quarter — and then sliced Philly’s lead to just three at the half behind 13 points from Kevin Durant, 12 points from Nic Claxton and 11 points in a bright game for the newly acquired 3-and-d wing Royce O’neale.

“Obviously, there were some ugly pockets of play, but there were also a lot of great stretches,” Nash said after Wednesday’s practice at the HSS Training Facility in Industry City.

NBA

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2022-10-06T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-10-06T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://daily.gazette.com/article/282278144224616

The Gazette, Colorado Springs