Suddenly the Nets have gone colder than the blizzard back home.
For the second time in three games, the free-falling Nets took an embarrassing beating, this one a 126-89 loss to the Clippers before a sellout crowd of 17,927 in Los Angeles.
It marked a fifth straight defeat and their 10th in the past 11 games. Considering the Nets are tanking, the losses are not even a slight concern. The lack of competitiveness is a grave one.
There was no effort, a horrid way to start a five-game road swing — and six of seven away from home.
Last Wednesday’s 54-point loss to the Knicks is the second-worst loss in franchise history. The biggest was the 59-point caning they took on Jan. 15 last year, once again at the hands of the Clippers on the road.
This time, they faced multiple 38-point deficits. The Nets shot just 33.7 percent from the floor and 9-of-43 from behind the arc. And they got torn to shreds on the other end by the Clippers, behind future Hall of Famers Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
Leonard had a game-high 28 points and five rebounds, while former Nets star Harden added 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds to finish plus-22. The Nets watched the Clippers hit 56.4 percent from the field and 12 of 25 from behind the arc.
Michael Porter Jr. was held to just nine points on an uncharacteristic 3-of-11 shooting and 0-of-4 from 3-point range. He has been dealing with a sprained MCL and was off his game.
Rookie Danny Wolf provided 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists off the bench, all Nets highs. Lottery pick Egor Dëmin added 12 points but was 3-of-11 overall and 3-of-10 from deep.
The Nets trailed 38-14 after one — their lowest-scoring first quarter of the season — and allowed 18 unanswered points in the second.
They were down 64-26 with 3:13 left in the half after a bucket by Jordan Miller.
The next play may have been even more embarrassing. The Nets ended up with a 5-on-4 possession after Kris Dunn came up gimping during the play. But the Nets missed four shots on the possession before Dunn hobbled back into the play and grabbed the defensive rebound.
The rest was garbage time, and that garbage stunk.
The Nets fell to 12-32, and fifth in the lottery standings. They’re 1 ½ games behind Sacramento for the fourth slot and just two out of the coveted top three.
The Clippers are a league-best 14-4 in their past 18.
