Vaughn a ‘believer’ despite fruitless trip

Nets coach resilient despite fifth straight loss in Houston

January 4, 2024 John Torenli, Sports Editor

Turkish center Alperin Sengun and the Rockets were too much to handle for the Nets as they closed a 0-4 road trip with their fifth straight loss.
Photo: Michael Wyke/AP

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A season-high-tying five consecutive losses, 10 defeats in the last 12 games and an ugly 0-4 road trip weren’t enough to shake Jacque Vaughn’s faith in his struggling team.

“I totally believe in this group. We’ll turn this thing around,” the Nets coach insisted following Wednesday night’s 112-101 loss to Houston in front of 16,563 fans at the Toyota Center.

Brooklyn (15-20) certainly showed some fight after suffering a wire-to-wire 112-85 trouncing in New Orleans a night earlier.

The Nets opened a 64-59 lead on Mikal Bridges’ five-foot floater with 7:54 remaining in the third quarter before Houston center Alperen Sengun and the Rockets (17-15) took over.

The 6-foot-10 Turkish center followed back-to-back 3-pointers by Jalen Green and Fred Van Vleet by making consecutive driving layups to give Houston the lead for good, 69-64, with 6:21 left in the period.

“The third quarter got out of hand for us,” Vaughn ceded.

Sengun, who has scored at least 20 points in each of his last seven contests, finished with a game-high 30 to go with eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot.

“On offense they trust me,” Sengun told the Associated Press. “They’re playing through me, a lot isolation, so I’m trying my best to score.”

He finished 11-of-17 from the floor and drained 8-of-10 free throws to steal any hope the Nets had of escaping this trip with at least one win before they head back to Brooklyn Friday to host Oklahoma City.

“Sengun,” Vaughn said when asked why his team was unable to overcome Houston’s third-quarter blitz. “His ability. We had contained him early. They moved him around a little bit, made it more difficult for us. He was able to get to the line.”

Nets coach Jacque Vaughn remains steadfast in his belief that the Nets will snap out of their malaise.
Photo: Michael Wyke/AP

Bridges and Cam Johnson scored 15 points apiece for the Nets, but Cam Thomas’ shooting woes continued as he misfired on all seven of his attempts to slip to 0-for-18 on the last two legs of Brooklyn’s fruitless odyssey.

The Nets went 13-of-44 from 3-point range, making them a cringe-worthy 36-of-153 on 3-balls over their last three contests.

“(I told the team) to continue to believe that we can get out of this hole that we’re in,” Vaughn revealed of his post-game chat. “I’m going to continue to hold them to a standard. We’ll grow from this as a team.”

VanVleet finished with 21 points, and Green added 14 for the Rockets, who put together a 22-4 run en route to a 38-point, third-quarter outburst.

“I think we just kind of let up a little bit (in the third quarter),” Nets reserve forward Royce O’Neale admitted after putting up 13 points. “We have to sustain the same intensity all 48 minutes.”

They’ll get their chance Friday night in Brooklyn against a Thunder squad that handed them a 124-108 thumping in Oklahoma City on New Year’s Eve.

“This group continues to play hard and plays for each other,” Vaughn continued to persist. “They aren’t accepting where we are right now. We feel like we should be winning games.

“We have a tough game (Friday). We have a job to do.”

Royce O’Neale admitted that the Nets “let up a bit” in the third quarter of their loss in Houston Wednesday night.<br srcset= — Photo: Michael Wyke/AP” width=”600″ height=”400″> Royce O’Neale admitted that the Nets “let up a bit” in the third quarter of their loss in Houston Wednesday night.
Photo: Michael Wyke/AP

NOTHING BUT NET: After hosting the Thunder, the Nets will welcome Portland to Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon. They will be in Paris on Tuesday to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in what will count as a home game before wrapping up their four-game “homestand” on Jan. 15 vs. Miami. … Nic Claxton had 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds in Houston, while Day’Ron Sharpe added 11 points and 12 boards.