The Nets never experienced the type of road trip that they completed on Sunday night in Los Angeles; just another example of the new era being ushered in.
For the first time in franchise history, the Nets went 5-0 on their west-coast swing, defeating the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and on Sunday night, the Clippers. It was the longest road trip the team has ever gone through without a loss.
Even more impressively is that they were able to do it without Kevin Durant available for four of those games with a hamstring issue, allowing Kyrie Irving and James Harden to lead the way.
The duo put up a combined 65 to squeak past the Clippers, extending their winning streak to six while improving their season record to 20-12. It’s the third-best start through 32 games in franchise history, but the need for Durant to get back is always there.
“Well, we need him in all aspects whether he’s on the floor or not,” Irving said. “He makes this thing work. We came here with a plan to be able to build something in Brooklyn.
“For the time being, winning six in a row, all it does is keep the world silent for a little bit, and then wait until we hit a bump in the road and it’s ‘what’s going on with the Nets?’ So we take both polarities and stay the course. And the destination is making that main stage and earning our way there. Nothing is given… We’re just going to enjoy the journey.”
The journey includes plenty of tough love as Irving and head coach Steve Nash cited a Feb. 9 loss in Detroit to the Pistons as the turning point that sparked the Nets’ recent run of good form.
