Nets enjoy 3-day break: ‘it’s
Failing to qualify for the In-Season Tournament quarterfinals was not all bad for the Nets. Because of the last-minute adjustments to the NBA regular-season schedule, Brooklyn had a three-day gap between Saturday’s home win over Orlando and Wednesday’s meeting with the Hawks in Atlanta.
Three-day breaks are rare over the course of an 82-game NBA season. Head coach Jacque Vaughn made sure the team used that time efficiently.
“Yeah, you take a day like today — especially after giving guys a couple of days off to keep the legs back underneath them, any ailments, try to get over those and then to have a focus level of talking about end-ofthe-game execution, which we can always touch and get better at, just familiarizing ourselves with some of our sets again, anticipate some things that the Hawks might do,” Vaughn said.
Cam Johnson said the days between games went by fast — maybe a little too fast — but he appreciated the moments he had to rest his mind, rest his body and reset. The weather was not too bad around the tri-state area on Sunday and Monday, so Johnson was able to go outside and get his steps in, on his own time, away from the practice courts.
“Sometimes it’s also good to just get away, take a walk, read, sleep,” Johnson said.
While rest and recovery were the focuses on Sunday and Monday, Tuesday’s practice was all about preparing for the Hawks. Brooklyn last faced Atlanta on Nov. 22, a game in which Mikal Bridges tied a career-high with 45 points.
However, Trae Young answered with 43 points of his own, leading Atlanta to