"Just how bad they kicked our [expletive]," Finney-Smith said of the Nets' 136-86 loss to the Celtics on Feb. 14. This was a low point in the season, marking the team's struggle in mental focus during a disappointing period."
The 50-point loss, the second worst in franchise history, led to immediate repercussions with the firing of then-head coach Jacques Vaughn. "Around that time, it's tough for guys to stay locked in mentally... especially when you know you ain't in the playoff run," Finney-Smith reflected.
Nets' first-year coach Jordi Fernandez commented on the upcoming games, acknowledging the challenge posed by top teams: "It's a good challenge... we're going to face something that we haven't faced yet... we have to think about Boston first."
Collection
[
|
...
]