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The Nets get trounced on the second night of back-to-back by the Nuggets
Heading into this game against the Denver Nuggets, the Brooklyn Nets were fresh off a close win against the Suns. Admittedly, it was expected the Nets would struggle in the second night of a back-to-back, especially against the defending champions.
This was evident from the jump as the team went down 39-52 at halftime. Vaughn's team was off-target for most of the game, especially star player Mikal Bridges, who only had nine points in this game. Spencer Dinwiddie was the leading scorer for the visitors with 17 points, followed by Cameron Thomas, who had 13.
"Tired group. Tough back-to-back. You know I don't like to use excuses, but I told our group I thought our intent was good coming into the game; we just didn't have it tonight," Coach Vaughn said in his post-game press conference. "On a team that was rested and ready for us, tough back-to-back, the emotional and mental part of it, just didn't have it tonight."
No answer for Jokic
Nikola Jokic continued to shine as the standout player for the Nuggets, securing yet another triple-double with an impressive stat line of 26 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. He made the most of the situation by capitalizing on the Nets' weariness from the previous night and leveraging the altitude advantage at Ball Arena.
Aside from Jokic, the Nuggets had five more players in double figures. Peyton Watson stood out from the supporting cast with 18 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
A bright spot for the Nets was Harry Giles III, who had 11 points and six rebounds in his 15 minutes on the floor. This development uplifts Coach Jacque Vaughn and his team, as Giles provides an additional big-man option behind Nic Claxton.
The next few games are a chance to bounce back
Despite the loss in this game, the Nets have upcoming opportunities for victories. They are scheduled to face the Golden State Warriors and the Utah Jazz in their next two matchups, which have had underwhelming performances this season.
After the game against Utah, they will return to the East Coast, which will be a much-needed break for Brooklyn.
The Nets have to capitalize on the opportunity in future games as Mikal and the rest of the team recalibrate. It's a long season, and a loss like this is acceptable, given the circumstances of the schedule.
However, they need to learn and improve from what transpired at Ball Center.
Brooklyn's next game will be on December 16 against Stephen Curry-led Warriors at Chase Center.
