DENVER — The Nets got arguably their biggest signature win of the season on Wednesday in Phoenix against Kevin Durant and the Suns’ Big 3.
They were unable to back it up Thursday night in the toughest back-to-back in the league, losing 124-101 at mile-high Denver against Nikola Jokic and the reigning champions.
“Yes, its definitely a balance because it’s mental and physical,” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “And so that challenge of not having an excuse of being able to give everything, every ounce that you have. We’ll figure it out; whether it’s shorter rotations, whether there’s more guys, whether it is using every timeout that I have; we’ll do it all to give ourselves a chance to win.”
Between the altitude and the competition, Denver has been tough to beat at home, and almost impossible on short rest.
The Nets did earn a 122-120 win on March 12 at Ball Arena, where the Nuggets were 34-7, the NBA’s second-best home mark.
Since the 2018-19 season, opponents playing at Ball Arena on the second game of a back-to-back had collectively gone just 8-27, per Elias Sports Bureau.
Vaughn conceded he might have to use players in shorter stints due to both the back-to-back and 5,280-feet altitude.
“Yeah, for sure. It’s real. That part, the mental part of it, you’ll feel it, especially after a back-to-back,” Vaughn said. “Our guys didn’t play crazy amount of minutes [Wednesday], but the effort that we need to play with, I’ll definitely look how they’re feeling, what they’re looking like. There could be some shorter stints for all the guys. There’s usually a select few I do that with; it could be across the board.”
In a blowout on the second night of a back-to-back, the Nets starters all sat the fourth quarter.
Day’Ron Sharpe had eight points and seven boards in the fourth, and Trendon Watford added six points and five assists.
Vaughn said he hadn’t planned to rest anybody on the back-to-back, and was true to his word.
Dorian Finney-Smith was a late addition to the injury report, questionable and a game-time decision with left knee soreness, but played anyway.
“We definitely need him,” Vaughn said of Finney-Smith, whose 44.4 3-point percentage was tied for second among players to attempt at least 100 3s.
Ben Simmons (left lower back — nerve impingement), Dennis Smith Jr. (upper back sprain) and Lonnie Walker IV (left hamstring strain) were all out.
Asked about the progress of Simmons, who missed a 17th straight game with a nerve impingement in his back, Vaughn said, “He’s just in part of his process of getting back on the floor. He’s at home, not with us, and so going through steps of protocols of getting back to the floor. So hopefully we’ll see him soon. Miss him.”
Noah Clowney, Keon Johnson and Dariq Whitehead were on G-League assignment with Long Island.
While the Nets had hoped Smith’s back could heal fast enough for him to meet then at some point on this five-game Western swing, that isn’t going to happen.
“Dennis won’t join us on the rest of this trip,” Vaughn said. “It’s just been too many days that he’s been off the court for him to ramp back up to join us on the West Coast. Wouldn’t make sense, so he will not join us for the rest of this West Coast trip.”
The Nets are in the midst of a three-game stretch of playing at the last three Western Conference champs — Phoenix on Wednesday, Denver Thursday and Golden State on Saturday.
Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was sidelined in concussion protocol. Jamal Murray (bilateral ankle sprains) and Aaron Gordon (right heel strain) were both probable.
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