Nets fall to Raptors in Kevin Ollie's first game as interim coach
Nets interim head coach Kevin Ollie, center, prepares his team before an NBA game against the Raptors in Toronto on Thursday. Credit: AP/Chris Young
TORONTO — Kevin Ollie seemed hopeful walking out of the tunnel for his first game as Nets interim head coach. Before he took the court Thursday night, he gave a fist-bump to Nets assistant Will Weaver.
Twelve seconds after tipoff, Ollie’s mood likely changed once Raptors All-Star Scottie Barnes scored on a fast break layup after blocking Mikal Bridges. It only got worse as the Raptors spoiled Ollie’s debut with a 121-93 win at Scotiabank Arena.
Barnes’ layup was the first two of 46 fast-break points the Nets allowed. It was a season-high for a Nets opponent and was one of several reminders that their issues haven’t changed just because the coach has.
“Their effort, their energy, loose balls, offensive rebounds, [Toronto] beat us in probably every area,” Ollie said. “And giving up 46 fast-break points and not being able to stop them and limit them in half-court situations was a killer for us.”
It also didn’t help the Nets (21-34) had just 10 fast-break points despite the healthiest roster they’ve had since the season opener. In their first game post All-Star break, they also committed a season-high 20 turnovers, leading to 32 points.
At times the Nets seemed confused on offense. Part of that was learning new sets that Ollie installed, but it led to more mistakes that the Raptors (20-37) feasted on by running the opposite way for easy layups.
“I mean, no excuses, we all play basketball,” Mikal Bridges said. “Transition is one thing where you already know what you got to do, getting back and communicating. Did a poor job but it can’t really have too many excuses. Just got to learn quick and be ready to play.”
It was a rude introduction for Ollie who wanted to Nets to be more accountable on defense, among other areas. Instead the Nets’ losing streak is at three games and they’ve lost seven of their last nine.
Those seven losses have come by a combined 148 points, an average of 21.1 points per game.
The Raptors, who were ranked 24th in the NBA in three-point percentage, shot 14-of-31 on threes (45.2%). It was yet another recurring Nets issue as they entered 25th in opponent three-point percentage.
Despite all that, the Nets actually made it competitive in the third quarter. A 7-0 run got them within 61-60 on a three-pointer by Cam Thomas. But the Raptors reeled off 10 consecutive points to regain control and led by as many as 34 points in the fourth quarter.
“It was spurts in that game where we had the game close,” Ollie said. “But then, if they hit us, we got to make sure we hit them back and I don’t think we did that at the end of the third quarter going into the fourth.”
Bridges had a team-high 21 points and Thomas had 19 points and four assists. They had little help, as Dennis Schroder shot just 1-for-7 in his return to Toronto after the Nets traded for him earlier this month.
Cam Johnson was just 1-for-7 with six points off the bench. Nic Claxton had just six points, but grabbed 10 rebounds. Dorian Finney-Smith finished with three points as he and Schroder both struggled in foul trouble.
Ben Simmons had two points, four assists and four rebounds, but didn't impact the game with his pace as he usually does.
By contrast, Gary Trent Jr. had 25 points to lead the Raptors and Immanuel Quickley added 24 points. Barnes added 18 points and 12 rebounds.
The Nets also fell further behind in their chase for the play-in tournament. They’re three games behind the Hawks, who are in the final play-in spot, and now 1 1⁄2 games ahead of the Raptors for 11th place in the Eastern Conference.
Yet the transition defense was the one point the Nets couldn’t shake as they reverted to old habits despite a new coach calling plays and directing from the sidelines.
"It’s pride,” Simmons said. “You know regardless of who’s coaching [or] who’s out there. You just got to have pride.”
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
