On February 2, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued. In a focus game between the Nets and the Suns, Nash led the team to insist on three good games, but in the end due to poor performance at key moments, the Nets regrettably lost to the Suns, who were very good at all statistics, and suffered a 5-game losing streak. After the game, Nash, who returned to the door of his old east home, was not happy.
Facing the powerful Suns, Nash can be said to be fully prepared. In addition to the targeted deployment in tactics, Harden's comeback also provides a confidence guarantee for this team. Throughout the game, although Harden's right hand strain has not fully recovered, he still contributed to his due level on the court. The performance of another core player, Irving, can also be regarded as an occasional flash.
However, after the game entered the fourth quarter, the situation on the pitch gradually became clear. Although the Nets clenched the score in the first 3 quarters, with the tacit cooperation and excellent play of players such as Booker and Paul, the Nets finally experienced a rout in the final quarter. In the eight games that Durant missed, the Nets' record was 2-6. Although Irving and Harden, the two core players, appeared on the court at the same time, Durant's absence undoubtedly made the team lose its real core.
After the game, Nash referred to a penalty in the 4th quarter of the match in an interview, arguing that the referee should make a fair decision because the difference between the two teams was only 4 points. Back in the game, one of Harden's throws was blocked by the Suns' McGee, and Nash thought the ball should be a jamming ball, but the referee didn't say anything. And after the offensive and defensive conversion, the Nets were instead punished for interfering with the ball, which made Nash a little difficult to accept.
However, judging from the situation at that time, the referee's approach was not too much of a problem. The Nets lost not just because of this one decision. The Nets had just 21 free throws in the game, while the Suns had 31 free throws. While both teams have decent strengths, the Suns are clearly in better shape, as they are the only team in the NBA league that can rank in the league's top 5 in both offensive and defensive statistics. For the down-and-coming Nets, fans think, how could they get out of trouble without Durant?