Nets come again from down 25 to beat Wizards within the aftermath Kyrie Irving’s commerce request

What was imagined to be a blowout victory for the Washington Wizards grew to become a come-from-behind win for the Nets on Saturday.

The Nets entered Saturday embroiled in one more Kyrie Irving controversy, this time the star guard getting fed up and requesting a commerce over the dearth of a fully-guaranteed contract extension throughout a breakout stretch in Brooklyn.

The Nets had been already with out Kevin Durant (MCL sprain), Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) and T.J. Warren (left shin contusion) earlier than Irving reported “proper calf soreness” Saturday morning — code for “no contract, no play.”

[ Kyrie Irving requests trade from Nets after rejecting contract extension ]

He skipped the workforce’s walkthrough forward of tipoff and was nowhere to be discovered at Barclays Heart as his teammates regarded to bounce again from a 43-point loss to the Boston Celtics on Thursday.

For 3 quarters, the Nets had been headed in the identical path: The Wizards had been the aggressor on the glass and on the rim and constructed a 23-point lead within the first half.

This workforce, nevertheless, has been right here earlier than. They defeated the Indiana Pacers in a sport each rotation participant sat for load administration. When Durant went down the MCL sprain in a Jan. 8 matchup in opposition to the Miami Warmth, they rallied again to safe the victory within the fourth quarter.

Resolve is a part of this Brooklyn workforce’s DNA. That a lot has been the fixed in a season with twists and turns at each juncture. Head coach Jacque Vaughn stated he advised his workforce to deal with the duty at hand and to not fear about Irving, whose introduction on the Jumbotron followers booed pregame.

It’s the primary time Irving, a New Jersey native, has acquired a chilly welcome from his hometown followers since signing in Brooklyn in 2019.

“I believe you will have duty as a basketball participant like I do as a coach,” head coach Jacque Vaughn stated pregame. “I present up, I do my job each single day. That’s what I signed up for. And that’s my expectations for one by 17.”

Irving’s future in Brooklyn stays unsure. The Los Angeles Clippers are the newest workforce to enter the commerce sweepstakes, with ESPN reporting they’ve joined the Lakers, Mavericks and Suns in pursuit of buying the All-Star guard.

Vaughn stated pregame he hoped Irving’s commerce request would give the remainder of his workforce a raise. That raise got here within the third quarter.

Second-year guard Cam Thomas scored a career-high 43 factors and missed solely seven pictures on the night time. Reserve guard Edmond Sumner scored 29 factors on 9-of-19 capturing beginning instead of Irving, and Patty Mills scored 13 factors off the bench, together with a pair of back-to-back threes within the third quarter to chop Washington’s as soon as 23-point lead all the way down to single digits.

The Nets trailed, 73-55, coming into halftime however had been solely down seven by the top of the third quarter.

Within the fourth, Brooklyn ratcheted up its defensive effort, and the Wizards appeared misplaced after star ahead Kyle Kuzma left the sport with an ankle harm after 11 minutes of play. Wizards middle Kristaps Porzingis additionally fouled out after 33 minutes. He scored 38 factors earlier than leaving the sport. The Wizards had been additionally with out Bradley Beal (left foot soreness).

[ Jacque Vaughn keeping Nets’ composure after Kyrie Irving trade request: ‘We’re not gonna make this weird’ ]

The query now turns into whether or not or not the Nets can maintain this vitality — and their championship hopes — with Irving on the outs as soon as once more in Brooklyn. Subsequent up on the schedule: the identical Los Angeles Clippers within the dialog to commerce for Irving, who come to city to play the Nets on Monday.