The 2022-23 NBA regular season is only about one month old. However, the Nets have been through it, folks. The past few weeks have included some blowout losses, a lack of effort at times, a head coach leaving, and a star player getting suspended.
If it ain’t one thing, it’s another for Brooklyn. At least, that’s what it feels like. Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups can certainly agree with that statement. The Nets left Portland with a 109-107 victory to salvage the last bit of their West Coast road trip.
Despite getting a victory, Brooklyn still found a way to take an L thanks to how the business seems to be running right now. When asked about the Nets’ situation, here’s what Billups said (quotes via Brian Lewis of the New York Post):
They’re going through a lot…It seems like they’re always going through a lot.
Has Billups seen a team deal with as much drama as the Nets? Not quite:
No, other than last time we played. It was different issues, different people. It’s always just something. It’s just tough to get going in a situation like [that]. I never played with that type of dysfunction.
Of course, Billups made these comments before Brooklyn beat them on Portland’s floor. The Nets improved to 7-9 with this victory, while the Trail Blazers dropped to 10-5.
Just when the sideshow stuff started to die down a little bit, Kevin Durant recently opened up about his trade request over the summer and said some interesting things, too. Brooklyn’s next game is at home on Sunday vs. the Memphis Grizzlies. It’s significant because it seems like this could be Kyrie Irving’s first game back after getting suspended for sharing an antisemitic film on social media.
Will the Nets start to come together as a squad once Irving returns or will something else happen along the way? History says no, but you have to hope Brooklyn can finally get itself on the right path.
Matt Musico can be reached at matt.musico@xlmedia.com and you can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.
