The last time the Nets were in game action before Tuesday's season opener, they were trying to survive game seven against the Bucks without Kyrie Irving and with a hobbled James Harden.
After losing that elimination game in the second round of the playoffs, Brooklyn met that same Milwaukee team, now the defending NBA champs, in Tuesday's opener, once again without Irving (who was hurt in last year's playoffs but is now out due to his COVID-19 vaccination status) but now with a healthy Harden.
The outcome was still the same, as the Nets were ambushed in a 127-104 loss in a game thoroughly dominated by the Bucks after raising their championship banner before the game.
"They shot 19 more shots than us, and it was that way since the first quarter," Kevin Durant said. "We were climbing uphill all game. We had some good spurts, cut it to seven, cut it to eight a few times, but just couldn't get over that hump, because they had more possessions than us. They created more offense for themselves with offensive rebounds."
Durant matched Giannis Antetokounmpo with a game-high 32 points, but Milwaukee's bench outscored Brooklyn's 45-25, while the Bucks turned it over just seven times and carved up the Nets' defense throughout the night.
"We didn't turn them over," Durant said. "They only had seven turnovers, and were stuck on only three for awhile…the possession game is a battle for us…We can't give a team 20 more shots than us. Imagine coming to a game and we say 'Here, take the ball 20 times on offense before we get an offensive possession.' Everybody is gonna lose that. That's what it felt like the game was [Tuesday]."
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The Nets looked to be sorely missing Irving in game one of the season, as Joe Harris slid into the starting rotation and scored just nine points in 31 minutes following a disappearing act in last year's playoffs. It doesn't look like Irving will be back anytime soon, unless he changes his mind on getting vaccinated, so Brooklyn was given a glimpse of what it will be like going up against the East's best without him. But they won't overreact after one game.
"Yeah, it is one game out of 82," Durant said. "When you look at it that way, like every team should that way. I know the Bucks won today, but they're still trying to fine-tune what they do too. I think every team is gonna look at their first few games, first few weeks and see where their team is going, and then make adjustments."
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