The Brooklyn Nets are currently facing an 0-3 hole against the Boston Celtics in the first round of their Eastern Conference playoff series.
Nothing the Nets have tried up to this point has worked. Kevin Durant has struggled. Kyrie Irving has been inconstant. Even Blake Griffin having the game of his life wasn’t enough to take down Boston.
Following his team’s most recent defeat on Saturday, Nets head coach Steve Nash got brutally honest about his team’s struggles.
“Kyrie’s fasting, and Kevin has had to play 40-plus minutes for five, six weeks after missing six, seven weeks,” Nash said.
“We needed him to play 40 minutes (per night) or we wouldn’t be in the playoffs … So, I’m sure that’s taken a big toll on Kevin. He’s carried a huge burden for us for weeks on end — Kyrie as well since he’s been playing at home and on the road.”
The fasting, in particular, seems to be a point of concern for Nash.
“Fasting, it can’t be easy,” Nash said. “I go play tennis and I haven’t eaten, I feel like I’m gonna fall over, so I can imagine how he feels in an NBA playoff game.
“So, I commend how hard he plays considering and how much minutes they’ve both had to endure for us to be in this position with all the injuries we’ve had this year and all the interruptions. So, I feel for them. I feel for those guys.”
Durant refused to blame fatigue for his issues.
“Nah, I don’t think fatigue has set in,” Durant said. “I feel good playing. I’m not winded. My body doesn’t hurt. I wouldn’t blame it on that.”
No team has ever come back from being down 0-3 in an NBA playoff series.
More must-reads: