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Kyrie Irving is growing tired of the Brooklyn Nets using “get-better jargon” after the team suffered a sixth straight NBA defeat in a 112-101 loss to the Sacramento Kings.
The Nets have slumped to sixth in the Eastern Conference standings and are now on their worst streak since a seven-game losing run between December 2019 and January 2020.
Nic Claxton had a career-high 23 points to go alongside 11 rebounds, while James Johnson put up 18 points. Irving had 14, but it was a tough night for the usually prolific James Harden, who had just four on the back of two-of-11 shooting.
Irving feels there have been “morale victories” during the Nets’ barren run but he has little interest in anything other than actual wins.
“When you’re going through a losing streak, not many people want to hear the same thing over and over again,” he said.
“The get-better jargon that we consistently use, it can get mundane.
“Game to game we’re feeling like we’re coming out with some morale victories if we lose, but I’m tired of that.”
Harden has been contending with an issue to his right hand and a hamstring complaint, with his return his lowest since playing the Chicago Bulls on May 15 last year.
Despite the Nets’ woes, Harden is confident the team can soon turn the corner, especially if they can get some key personnel back after the All-Star break.
“There’s no concern,” Harden said.
“We don’t have our entire team and this is happening to us. We’re just trying to figure out what works best, what guys fit, what guys don’t.
“Hopefully after the break we can get our whole roster and start making strides in the right direction.”
The Nets have had issues with their roster. Kevin Durant (knee) remains absent, while Joe Harris and Marcus Aldridge (both ankle) are still out, and Irving’s involvement is restricted to road games as he is ineligible to play fixtures in New York as he is unvaccinated against COVID-19.
Head coach Steve Nash says the main objective right now is merely to show improvement on the court.
“This trip our objective is to get better. The first two games and the first half tonight we were getting better,” Nash said.
“We didn’t contain the ball enough in the second half and we didn’t make plays.”
The Nets will aim to return to winning ways in Friday’s trip to the Utah Jazz.
