In the NBA regular season on February 1, Beijing time, the Brooklyn Nets played against the Phoenix Suns. The Nets trailed the Suns 61-64 at halftime, and the Nets lost 120-136 to the Suns.
Before the game, Durant had said that he didn't want the Nets to pay a tribute at home, saying: "I didn't achieve anything for the Nets, I didn't play for the Nets long enough, and I didn't have a strong connection with the fans, so there was no need to make a tribute for me." I don't expect people to praise me or give me credit, I just give my own opinion and I don't feel like I deserve this."
But the Nets still paid tribute to the star after all, and in the interview session after the game, the reporter also asked Adu if he had seen this**, and Adu was embarrassed to smile and admit that he had watched it.
Adu was the best player on the Suns' side today, playing 37 minutes, shooting 10-of-16, including 2-of-6 three-pointers and 11-of-12 free throws, with 33 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 blocks. Plus or minus up to +20.
Booker played 36 minutes on 9-of-17 shooting and 4-of-6 from three-point range to finish with 22 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.
Beal was as sluggish as ever, finishing with 12 points, four rebounds and five assists on 3-of-8 shooting and 1-of-3 three-pointers. Since joining the Suns, Beal has only played 24 games due to health reasons, averaging 172 points 43 rebounds and 43 assists. Thinking of his 60 million annual salary + trade veto, the Suns are deeply trapped by Beal.
When Beal didn't play well, the Suns' bench instead played a brilliant performance to fill his void. Nurkic played 29 minutes and finished with 28 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks on 11-of-15 shooting. The crossbow machine seems to be the third giant of the sun. Eric Gordon played 32 minutes and finished with 17 points, two rebounds, four assists and one steal on 6-of-10 shooting and 5-of-9 from three-point range.
The question for the Suns now is still obvious, that is, in the fourth quarter, after the opponent strengthens the defense, who will organize the tandem team. Can the team bring in a strong No.1 player? Today, the Suns continued to have problems in the fourth quarter, with frequent turnovers. In fact, fourth-quarter crashes have become a tradition for the Suns. According to reporter Tomer Azarly, the Suns were outscored by 155 more points in the fourth quarter of the season, the worst in the league. The second worst was the Heat, who scored 131 more points in the fourth quarter.
Back to the Nets, the Nets have had a lackluster record this season. Before the game, Ben Simmons, who missed 38 games and played one game back, was sidelined again due to injury, and it was reported that Simmons suffered an injury in the previous game that caused his knee to swell, but the examination showed no further problems.
Bridges played 39 minutes, scoring 21 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal on 7-of-16 shooting and 6-of-12 three-pointers. The player, who was not for sale last season, has been shown to have limited ability to handle the ball and be unable to be the core of the team this season, and has been put on the shelf by the Nets.
Cameron Thomas played 33 minutes and finished with 25 points, two rebounds, four assists and two steals on 11-of-19 shooting, including 1-of-4 three-pointers and 2-of-2 free throws. Lonnie Walker played 30 minutes and finished with 19 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals on 7-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-8 three-pointers and 2-of-2 free throws. His seven assists and four steals were all season highs, compared to four assists (against the Hornets on October 31, 2023) and three steals (against the Heat on November 2, 2023).
The current Nets are still in a rebuilding period, and whether it is Nicholas Claxton or Bridges on the inside, they have been put on the shelf. But the Nets' draft picks were all given to the Rockets in the Harden trade, and his swing didn't make sense. The Nets' top priority is to figure out how to maintain their strength while finding cornerstone players like the Jazz. However, whether it is Cameron Johnson, DSJ, Bridges, Claxton, or Dinwiddie on the Nets, they are all worth trading, and it will be up to them to do in the free market.