Apr 25, 2022; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash coaches against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter of game four of the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs at Barclays Center. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Nets' Kevin Durant defends HC Steve Nash after sweep: 'He's been dealt a crazy hand'

By Adam Stites | Last updated 4/25/22

The Brooklyn Nets' 2021-22 season came to an abrupt, unceremonious end Monday night with a 116-112 loss to the Boston Celtics that completed a first-round sweep.

It was an embarrassing end to a season that many expected would end with the Nets' first-ever NBA title, but Kevin Durant doesn't think it should result in Steve Nash getting fired as head coach.

"Come on, man. Yeah," Durant said when asked if Nash is still the man for the job. "Steve has been dealt a crazy hand the last two years. He's been having to deal with so much stuff as a head coach, first coach: trades, injuries, COVID, just a lot of stuff. I'm proud of just how he focused and his passion for us."

"C'mon man. Yeah. Like, Steve has been dealt a crazy hand the last two years. He been had to deal with so much stuff as a HC... I'm proud of how he focused, and his passion for us."

-Durant was asked if Steve Nash is still the right guy to lead the #Nets next year. pic.twitter.com/07Y0bkHpAY
— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) April 26, 2022

Nash, 48, was hired by the Nets in September 2020 and saw the team reach the Eastern Conference semifinal in his first year as coach. In the 2021-22 season, Kyrie Irving missed the majority of the season due to his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19, James Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in February and Kevin Durant missed several weeks due to a knee injury.

A Nets team that was the preseason favorite to win the NBA Finals instead finished seventh in the Eastern Conference.

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