NEW YORK _ If the Nets happen to find themselves in a first-round playoff matchup against the Bucks, they might as well pack it up in advance. Without Joe Harris, Garrett Temple and DeAndre Jordan, Brooklyn stood no chance against the East's likely representative in this year's NBA Finals.
The Nets (18-23) played with little energy in their 117-97 loss to the Bucks on Saturday. If that level of intensity remains the same, it doesn't matter who steps on the floor _ Brooklyn won't win until they turn it up multiple notches.
Only a healthy Kevin Durant could have saved the Nets from death by deer invasion at Barclays. If they're going to be a championship team, their hopes hinge on Durant's return to the monster scoring threat he's been all his life.
The Bucks showed what it means to be a championship team. They defended every possession. They moved the ball around with three starters and two reserves in double figures. In the end, they made quick work of a Nets team that threw in the towel with just under eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Milwaukee's star Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated the game with 29 points and 12 rebounds. He even mixed it up with a variety of 3s and mid-range jump shots, continuing to show that his hot shooting is no fluke.
The Bucks are everything the Nets should strive to be. They've developed their young players. They've built around their superstar. They've hired a brilliant head coach in Mike Budenholzer. Milwaukee looks as good as their 38-6 record indicates. They're the best team in the Eastern Conference, and it might not be close.
Meanwhile, the Nets are still searching for their second win since Kyrie Irving returned from his shoulder injury. They have lost each of their first three games of a tough five-game stretch, with the next two opponents providing no break: vs. 76ers and vs. Lakers.
If it's never been said before, let this serve as breaking news: The Nets need Kyrie Irving to shoot the ball more. Irving shot just 6 of 15 for 17 points against the Bucks. He also had six assists and four steals but spent more possessions creating open shots for teammates who couldn't knock them down.
Taurean Prince shot 3 of 12 from downtown, Rodions Kurucs shot 2 of 7 and Caris LeVert missed all three of his attempts from deep. The Nets stand no chance, not even against non-playoff teams, when the 3 isn't falling.
The only bright spot for the Nets on Saturday was rookie Nic Claxton, who appeared in his first game since Jan. 6. Claxton came off the bench for the injured DeAndre Jordan (dislocated finger) and finished with 14 points and six rebounds, as well as two energetic blocks. Claxton, who has spent time with the Long Island Nets in the G-League, should be a more permanent part of Brooklyn's rotation.
Health continues to evade the Nets with three key players out in their loss to the Bucks. It's been a constant for this team since the injury bug struck last season.
That team found a way to stay afloat and finish the season with a 42-40 record. This team, though in eighth place in the East, is now five games below-.500.
