Heading into Thursday with a 1-2 preseason record, Kenny Atkinson emphasized a better defensive effort from him guys, especially after letting up 121 points to Miami on Tuesday.
Their luck did not change, however, following a 100-97 loss to the Boston Celtics, Thursday night at Barclays Center.
The Nets led by one with 41 seconds left on the game clock and 16 seconds on the shot clock. Greivis Vasquez forced a contested fadeaway jumper that missed and led to a Boston fastbreak bucket to put Brooklyn down one. On the following possession, Luis Scola missed a tough fadeaway, forcing the Nets to foul with seven seconds left.