OKLAHOMA CITY — The Nets have probably the most future draft picks within the NBA.
The group with the second-most: Oklahoma Metropolis.
The 127-101 beating the Nets took from the Thunder at Paycom Middle — and the best way OKC has run via the whole league — is a scary reminder of simply how well-poised Sunday’s foe is to dominate the NBA each at this time and tomorrow.
The Nets (14-29) watched them lead by 27 within the first quarter and 28 within the fourth, taking pictures a red-hot .552 and 19 of 43 from deep.
Cam Johnson returned from a sprained proper ankle with 15 factors, however the Nets had been at a expertise deficit in dropping for the eighth time in 9 video games.
It’s why they’re basically seeking to emulate OKC’s mannequin. It’s additionally why they’ve made the arduous however obligatory choices to commerce away expertise that would assist them win at this time — Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith — for gamers who, in some circumstances, won’t ever swimsuit up — De’Anthony Melton — as a result of it would assist them construct long-term sustainable success.
They’ll solely hope to achieve the success OKC has, however that’s far off. Proper now, after Sunday, they’ll limp house with only one lone win on this six-game Western Convention swing, with a back-to-back looming in opposition to the Knicks and Suns.
“You can never get tired of this, how the NBA and the schedule is. I know it’s the end of the trip, but being excited to play an NBA game is very important,” coach Jordi Fernandez stated. “Clearly, it felt like we had been in L.A. endlessly; we performed two video games. However the video games preserve coming.
“Then we have a tough back-to-back at home. So not just to get ahead of things, but the most important game is the game in front of you. And it doesn’t matter if you come from a long trip or you’ve been at home; you have to have that energy and you’ve got to do it together with your teammates. That’s my main takeaway.”
The Nets have extra projected cap area this summer time ($65 million) and extra future picks (15 firsts, 16 seconds) than anyone within the league.
The Thunder are proper on their heels with 13 and 16, respectively. The distinction: Whereas only a few of those Nets are more likely to be round in two years, the West-leading Thunder are led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Gilgeous-Alexander returned after lacking Friday’s 106-98 loss to Dallas, one among simply two defeats in OKC’s final 21 video games. His sprained proper wrist seemed fantastic, as he torched the Nets for 27 factors and 10 assists.
Fernandez coached each Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort on Workforce Canada and stated the OKC starters helped him excess of he helped them.
“I learned a lot,” Fernandez stated. “They made me higher as a coach. They made me perceive what a group must be excellent.
“Their human quality is, to me, the most important thing. Those two guys are obviously great basketball players, but the reality is they’re even better humans: their work ethic, family people, people that care about the right things, always [a] smile on their face, always positive energy. And that’s the reason why I enjoyed my time with them. And like I said, they made me a better coach.”
Fernandez has an extended highway forward of him in constructing these Nets. However the highway ought to get rather less rocky after this powerful rookie season.
The Thunder (34-7) have gained 9 of their final 21.
The Nets stumbled out of the gate Sunday, lacking their first seven pictures and falling behind 13-2. Issues simply acquired worse from there.
The rating rapidly swelled to 34-7 on a Gilgeous-Alexander layup. There was 2:25 left within the first, however the recreation was over.
The Nets answered with a 20-7 run to drag inside two touchdowns, beginning to cross the ball inside in opposition to withering OKC protection.
Day’Ron Sharpe, who’d been questionable with a watch harm, discovered Ziaire Williams on a kickout for a 3-pointer that lower it to 51-39 halfway via the second quarter. However the Nets by no means acquired any nearer the remainder of the evening.