While the Nets threw the longest winning streak in the NBA, James Harden hit a chair.
Nineteen turnovers on Saturday led to 32 points for the Mavericks and made the Nets look just as careless with basketball as they sometimes did before Harden came through the trade. Only this time, Harden was primarily guilty of a large six-figure deal while trying to feed his teammates, in addition to the injured trio of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and Tyler. Johnson.
“We played the same way,” Harden said. “I passed him Bruce [Brown] as I [normally] get, they were diverted. Dribble to the basket, throw the ball out of bounds – myself, I did it. I wasn’t trying to do more than I normally do. I played my game and sometimes you have bad games. ”
Harden described his turnovers as “careless” examples of “trying to thread the needle.” In a break in the second half, Harden, who scored just four of his 29 points after the break, rose from his chair and punched an empty chair.
“We definitely had some negligent turnovers that led to the disappearances,” said coach Steve Nash. “It hurts. We only dropped four in the half and gave them 20 points in turnover. That crushed us.”
Spurs commit the lowest turnover per match (11.1) in the league. So, there will be no additional possessions in Monday’s game for the Nets (14.6) to compensate for those offered.
“[The Mavericks] they were aggressive in defense – jumping on the passing lanes – and they made us accelerate a little and forced us to turn the ball around “, said the striker Jeff Green. “In order to win, especially when we have boys outside, we have to do better. We have to take care of the ball. We have to make sure we get a good shot every time. ”
Irving (right shoulder maintenance) was not listed in Sunday’s injury report. Green (right shoulder contusion) has not played the last 15 minutes against the Mavericks and is listed as questionable against Spurs. He missed a game last week. Johnson (migraine) is considered likely to return. Goalkeeper Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (right knee pain) started on Saturday, but was added to the injury report as questionable.
Striker Tyler Cook has played 14 minutes in both games since he was signed to a 10-day deep contract. He will collide the ladder if the nets are cautious with Green.
“Especially in terms of defense and comeback,” Cook said, “I can be of immediate help to this group.”