What’s left of the Nets ended their season Sunday at the hands of the Raptors. Other than the uniforms, the team that will tip off next season won’t be recognizable.
Strafed by injuries and the coronavirus, the Nets still finished the regular season strong with a squad full of replacements. But they got swept out of the postseason with a 150-122 Game 4 mauling against the defending champs at the Field House or Orlando, Fla.
With the threadbare Nets playing without eight of their top 10 players, Caris LeVert poured in 35 points, six assists and six rebounds. Jarrett Allen added 15 boards and two blocks, but they had too little help.
Tyler Johnson — who had been waived by Phoenix in February and was seeing his NBA career sputter — mustered 13 points. But the Nets’ bench got outscored 100-45, their defense got shredded for 55.4 percent shooting and they got outgunned.
With Kyle Lowry leaving early with an ankle injury and Fred VanVleet plagued by foul trouble, the Raptors had Norman Powell (29 points) and Serge Ibaka (27) to lead the way. The Nets have next year, when they get back their own stars in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Not to mention Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan and others.
“We have what we need, to be honest with you. Obviously those guys are great players, both have championships, MVP-caliber players in my opinion. Playing with those guys, the court’s gonna be wide open next year,” LeVert said. “Everyone has high basketball IQ: KD, Kyrie, Spencer as well. The more we play together … the quicker we’re gonna mesh. It’s gonna be a beautiful thing out there.”
OG Anunoby drives past Jarrett Allen (l.) and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot.Getty ImagesMuch has been made about whether the Nets need a third star, and whether LeVert can be that star. He averaged 20.3 points, 9.5 assists and six boards in the playoffs, albeit on high volume that will have to reconcile with Durant and Irving.
But make no mistake, this team will look different. Johnson, Joe Harris (absent after his grandmother’s death), Chris Chiozza and Wilson Chandler are free agents. The Nets hold a team option on Garrett Temple, and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot’s minimum deal is non-guaranteed. Even Jamal Crawford could be up for a camp invite.
Johnson and Temple expressed a desire to come back.
“I see myself being able to fit in with anybody,” Johnson said. “Obviously adding two of the top five, 10 best players in the world, it’s gonna be different. … But as far as being able to provide a service for a team that can contend for a championship, I can definitely do that. … As far as me seeing myself on this team, I definitely do.”
The game was never close. Lowry left with 2:48 in the first, and the Nets trailed by just a point 40 seconds later at 30-29. But they proceeded to cough up an extended 34-18 run to see the game blown wide open — and their season come to a close.
The Nets trailed 64-47 after Matt Thomas’ pull-up off a feed from Pascal Siakam (20 points, ten assists). They tried to rally with a 16-6 run, and Allen’s free throws with 1:37 in the half got them within seven — but no closer.
The Nets trailed by 29 to end the third quarter and 33 in the fourth. The best thing that can be said of this game is the Nets hope it’s the last one they’ll play without Durant and Irving for awhile.
“With that talent, roles will change. But at the end of the day, if we play with the pass and play team basketball, it’s gonna be very tough to stop,” Temple said.
“It’s a great organization, a tremendous organization, first-class in every regard — exactly what I heard, what I thought when I was signing here. And I very much hope to be here next year when we have our full cast of guys so we can make a nice push. It’s gonna be interesting. I’m excited for the challenge.”



