Kyrie Irving, who attempted to get NBA players to Orlando reboot in a teleconference earlier this summer, is even enjoying this run of the Nets.
With the playoffs opening with the Nets facing Toronto on Monday in Orlando, Florida, Brooklyn revolutionary bubble star Caris LeVert said she received a livelier call from Irving on Friday.
LeVert was named to the All-Seeding Games second team on Saturday for taking the Nets to a 5-3 bubble record and at least making them a slight threat to dethrone the Raptors.
Irving and Kevin Durant weren’t part of the downsized travel party.
“I talked to Ky [on Friday] morning, I talked about the upcoming games and playoffs and they encouraged me, ” LeVert said in a Zoom call on Saturday. “He’s watching all the games. He’s been in this position before, fighting for something. ”
Raptors coach Nick Nurse spent 13 minutes speaking to the media on Saturday via Zoom. They were not asked about the Nets nor did the nurse mention their opponent’s name in the first round.
It is indicative of the state of the Nets, as they are underdogs by 10 points in Game 1 for defending champions.
“We like our chances against anyone, really,” said LeVert, who averages 25 points, 6.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds in the six games he has played.
Interim Nets coach Jacque Vaughn hopes Irving’s call will continue to stir LeVert.
“It’s huge Caris got a call from Ky – it’s a great thing this isn’t an individual sport,” Vaughn said. “Just because we don’t have the group with us doesn’t mean they can’t be part of it. Caris appreciated it. ”
The nurse, nominated for coach of the year, said she is looking at “a long, long process” like last season.
“It’s a long journey that has only just begun,” Nurse said.
The seventh seeded Nets would like to make the Raptors’ trip short this season, but due to a sold out roster, no one is giving them a chance. The Nets lost the 3-1 season streak and talked a lot about defending the transition on Saturday was the key to upsetting Toronto.
The Nets also get the advantage of having no home court advantage for Toronto in a fanless gym.
“They still have fan noises a little bit like you hear on TV,” center Jarrett Allen said. “It’s comforting. You can hear a lot more of what people are saying. Increase the intensity. ”
Next season, Scouts believe LeVert could move from option # 1 in Disney to Sixth Man. And while he adores Vaughn, LeVert could play for a new leader next season – with more Gregg Popovich rumors seething on Saturday.
Ironically, Vaughn received third place in the reboot coach’s vote perhaps a week before GM Sean Marks embarks on a coaching quest.
“This credit goes to the players and the performance staff,” Vaughn said.
Raptors guard Fred VanVleet paid the scrappy Nets their due. After all, VanVleet is the scrap poster guy.
“They are a good team, they have played hard for them all year,” VanVleet said. “We definitely have our hands full. I saw a team that had a good competitive spirit and a lot of confidence. They have guys who have been around long enough to take them with them.
“It’s been a while,” added VanVleet. “It’s not like we’ll disrespect them or neglect them.”
The Nets’ Bubble Big 3 game of LeVert, Joe Harris and Allen was stellar. Additionally, role play candles, including new signer Tyler Johnson, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Jeremiah Martin, and veteran Garrett Temple, have been a source of inspiration. They are one of the fastest bubble teams to compensate for a lack of size that Toronto can exploit with Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol cleats.
“The way we played is fantastic,” Temple said. “The way we shared the ball, I think we should be averaging 29 assists while we’re here in the bubble and throwing the three-ball pretty well. This is what we will have to do against Toronto. They climb a lot. However they give up a good amount of threes, so if we can make the right passes, take down a few shots, I think it bodes well for us. “
But the Nets will need LeVert’s star to shine.
“I even encouraged him to talk even more and he did a great job of taking over the team, whether it’s calling games, talking about getting together in the confusion, encouraging the boys,” Temple said.
The Raptors aren’t as loaded to the top with Kawhi Leonard that they defect to the Clippers and won’t get the spark from their audience, which was a monumental advantage in last year’s playoff run. Over the past five seasons, the Raptors have achieved a 36-3 home record against the Atlantic Division.
“I just had a big thought of not doing it in front of the fans,” Nurse said. “That first game, man, when the Raptors are going to the playoffs and you walk into the arena when the fans get up, that’s really something for us to be a part of. We will miss him for sure. “
Rebecca Haarlow, MSG Network’s Knicks fringe reporter, will cover Nets-Raptors and other series for TNT.
.
