Brooklyn Ends 4 Game Skid Fire Nash

Durant Passes Carter On All Time Scoring List

Photo: Special to the NY Beacon

The Brooklyn Nets showed improved defensive effort against their
opponent for the second-straight game, ending their four-game skid
with a 116-109 win over the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center.
Kevin Durant was tremendous, leading the team
with 36 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, Kyrie Irving added 28
points and 6 assists, while Nic Claxton added 19 points, 9 rebounds,
and 4 blocks.

Brooklyn head coach Steve Nash talked about the improved effort after
heavily criticizing his team’s effort just 48 hours earlier in a
disastrous loss. “It was very important for us to get a response,” 
Nash said. “The win is nice but I care much more about the process.
And I thought our process was great. The spirit was great, we were
connected. We played hard.”

Said Durant of the team’s the improved effort, “I just thought the sense of urgency was there. 

“Guys respected this team and knew they could get hot on us, which they did
there, couple spurts throughout the game but we stayed poised.”

Durant passed Vince Carter last night and is now 19th on the all-time
scoring list.

The Brooklyn Nets face the Chicago Bulls tonight on the second end of
a back-to-back, and the third game in four nights and will do so without

head coach Steve Nash who was fired early Tuesday morning. Nash, who

began his third season with the team, compiled a 94-67 regular season 

record and 7-9 record in the playoffs. Nash had to deal with Irvin’s Covid

issue last year as well as his injuries. It was a soap opera off season for the 

team. Irving re-signed for one year. Durant not only requested a trade with 

four years remaining on his contract. It got worse when both players went

to ownership asking them to remove Nash and General manager Sean Marks.

 

“We want to thank Steve for everything he brought to our franchise over the

past two-plus seasons,” said Marks. Since becoming head coach, Steve was faced

with a number of unprecedented challenges, and we are sincerely grateful for his 

leadership, patience and humility throughout his tenure.”

 

Nash issued the following statement: “Thank you. Brooklyn. A very heartfelt

Thanks to Joe and Ciara Tsai along with Sean Marks for giving me the opportunity 

to coach. I wish them all the success in the world and the Nash’s will be rooting

for our team as they turn this season around.”

 

The Nets announced that Jacque Vaughn will take over on an interim basis. 

Vaughn was an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs from 2010-2012

an became head coach of the Orlando Magic from 2012 until he got fired in

2015. Vaughn was hired as an assistant coach by Brooklyn in 2016.     

 

Sports Editor Andrew Rosario contributed to this article.