Heading into the Nets’ toughest test yet, Dorian Finney-Smith hasn’t failed to remind the team of how it felt after the final meeting with Boston last season.
The Nets had back-to-back dates Feb. 13 and 14 with the Celtics just ahead of the All-Star break.
They were 21-31 heading into first game of the set, and their season was in a downward spiral with playoff hopes dwindling.
The first game saw the Nets stay competitive against the eventual NBA champs, losing by eight points.
game against the Mavericks on Nov. 4. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
However, the margin in the second game was 50, the second-worst loss in franchise history, and head coach Jacque Vaughn was fired days later, on Feb. 19.
Finney-Smith said he told a couple of teammates about the experience, mainly about “how bad they kicked our ass,” as he said after practice Thursday.
The nine-year veteran forward doesn’t want to feel that way again as the Nets kick off a three-game road trip Friday that will feature back-to-back games against the Celtics (7-2) and undefeated Cavaliers (9-0), followed by the Pelicans (3-6) on Monday.
“Yeah, but they’ve been beating the s–t out of a lot of people,” Finney-Smith said about whether the historic loss still resonates with some players. “I think that was off a back-to-back right before the All-Star break. [There were] a lot of things going on last year, but none of that matters. Got a whole new team, a whole new system. But yeah, I definitely spoke about it because that was probably the craziest game I’ve been a part of and just because we played them so well the night before and they just got us out of there. They [have] shooters, got a bunch of shooting, [going to] shoot a bunch of threes. They’re going to crash the glass. It’s going to be a good game. A great challenge. … It’s over with. We trying to get this win tomorrow.”
The Nets were 0-4 against the Celtics last season, and the Celtics will represent the team’s toughest challenge thus far.
“Their crowd [is] in it. Boston fans, they loyal,” Finney-Smith said. “And they a historical organization. So, they [are going to] be there. They get loud in there. But I feel like that’s when we come close as a team, when we on the road.”
Not only do the Nets face the Celtics on Friday, but they meet again at Barclays Center just four days later.
They are meeting the Celtics in a better place this time.
The Nets (4-4) sit tied with the Pacers in third place in the East behind the Celtics and Cavaliers.
The Nets nearly have a clean bill of health as Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton practiced Thursday after the two had taken games off for load management on their respective back and hamstring injuries.
They’re also arriving in Boston with three off days under their belt after playing five games in a seven-day span.
Yet, their schedule thus far has been light, with the toughest opponent likely being the Nuggets (5-3), a game they lost in overtime, 144-139.
“It’s still early. You can’t really go by that now,” Finney-Smith said when asked if the Nets are earning respect around the league. “We’ll see in January. You can ask me that question then.”
Although they’re on an upswing and have proven to have a new spark in winning the second game of each of the two back-to-back series they have endured, the Nets are not preparing for the defending champions any differently.
“We definitely have to go one game at a time,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said Thursday. “We don’t need to think about the back-to-back, per se. We have to think about Boston. And since they won the NBA championship last year, I think we should be excited enough to go play that team.”
Fernandez said Thursday he sees a future lineup with Claxton and Simmons together.
Simmons has been starting at center while Claxton was dealing with the lingering effects of a hamstring injury from the preseason.
Simmons has also been resting on the end of back-to-back games and rested Monday in what was Claxton’s first season start.
The two haven’t spent much time on the court together, logging just eight minutes this season, but are a plus-12.
“Sure, yeah. Right now, with the limitations as far as like health and minutes, we haven’t been able to, but we could for sure see it,” Fernandez said. “Right now, the team has been competing well. The groups that have been put together have worked, so I’m not saying that this is the only thing we will do, but I’m open to try different groups.”
Trendon Watford (hamstring) will not play on the Nets’ road trip but will travel with the team.
Fernandez clarified that it is the same hamstring injury that Watford suffered on the second day of training camp.
He was previously listed as available Nov. 1 ahead of the Chicago game but later was downgraded to out after aggravating it during warm-ups.
Noah Clowney is listed as questionable after he missed practice Thursday due to an illness.
He will also travel with the team.
The second-year forward missed Monday’s game against the Grizzlies due to a hip injury.
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