Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn isn’t massive on New Year’s resolutions.
But in a season headlines by championship expectations, he provided a aim getting into the brand new calendar 12 months: extending Brooklyn’s league-best successful streak to 11 video games with a victory towards the Charlotte Hornets on New Year’s Eve.
“Maybe I’ll give a resolution after (we secure a victory),” Vaughn mentioned forward of tipoff Saturday night time. “But it’s really keeping thing group in the now, playing today’s game, and let’s just win today’s game.”
The Nets have been the most popular staff in all of basketball getting into the New Year.
They entered Saturday night time third place within the Eastern Conference behind solely the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks and are tied for the fifth-best report in all of basketball. Brooklyn is 21-7 since Vaughn took over for Steve Nash as head coach and the staff gained 17 of its final 20 video games getting into Saturday’s matchup towards the Hornets.
The Nets have performed so with a roster that has gotten wholesome however nonetheless stays inconsistent.
Sharpshooter Joe Harris missed his fourth straight recreation with soreness in his left knee. After lacking all however 14 video games resulting from a extreme left ankle sprain that required two in-season surgical procedures, Harris — as he instructed The Daily News he anticipated — has had ache in different areas of his left leg.
Harris has missed video games this season resulting from soreness in his left foot and most lately soreness in his left knee. While he stays one of many NBA’s high three-point shooters and a visibly improved defender, Harris has missed six of the staff’s 35 video games, however Vaughn mentioned the staff will re-visit him for Monday’s matchup at dwelling towards the San Antonio Spurs.
“He’ll stay at home, rejoin us [in Brooklyn]. Hopefully, we’ll assess him when we get back,” coach Jacque Vaughn mentioned. “But he will not play Charlotte, so no need to fly him. Just thinking it through, keep them there, see what happens in these next three days.”
Nets star Ben Simmons has additionally been out and in of the rotation after a season-long layoff from basketball adopted by an low season process on his decrease again.
Simmons, who lately missed time resulting from a calf pressure, had a non-Covid associated sickness that rendered him questionable forward of Saturday’s recreation. He not observe and was at restricted capability towards the Hornets.
“[We left him] back at the hotel. Best to keep in there. He’ll fly with us to Charlotte,” Vaughn mentioned over the observe weekend. “I guess [Charlotte] could be up in the air as one of those non-COVID [illnesses]. I’m not even sure we’ll list him, but all signs point towards him playing.”
This Nets’ season has been outlined by successful video games no matter who’s on the ground, and it seems like extra of the identical will must be on the docket it Vaughn’s New Year’s Resolution goes to materialize.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com