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The Brooklyn Nets were excited to have Kyrie Irving back in the lineup after he missed a game with a finger injury but the Detroit Pistons spoiled his return. The Pistons have not played their best basketball this NBA season but did well enough to topple the Eastern Conference behemoths 122-111 on the night.
Pistons' young star Jerami Grant had the hot hand tonight, and the Brooklyn Nets' defense was unable to stop anything that moved. Grant finished with a game-high 32 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists.
Brooklyn Nets' defense unable to contain Jerami Grant and the Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are still rested at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings despite the victory but will hope to build on this victory against a strong Brooklyn Nets team.
Kevin Durant did not play in this game as he continues to deal with COVID protocols, leaving James Harden and Kyrie Irving to get the job done. While the two performed well, combining for 51 points, it was not enough to outlast the surging Pistons' offense.
Detroit Pistons' shooting guard Delon Wright had a solid night of scoring as well, tallying 22 points and nine assists to help lift his team to victory.
Here's how Twitter reacted to the Pistons' big win over the Brooklyn Nets:
Needless to say, Brooklyn Nets fans are not happy about the loss. The lack of defense on this team was a concern for many experts as soon as the big three was formed. Head coach Steve Nash and his Nets will need to address these issues moving forward if they are to make a deep postseason run.
Here are more Twitter reactions from the Brooklyn Nets' rough loss to the last-place Detroit Pistons:
While the defensive struggles continue for the Nets, other top contenders are gaining ground in the standings. The Brooklyn Nets fell to 14-12 with this loss, which puts them in fourth place on the Eastern Conference standings. With Kevin Durant missing, this Nets team will need to pull together and find a way to win with what they have.
Here are more reactions from the Detroit Pistons' 11-point victory:
The Brooklyn Nets will go on to play the Indiana Pacers for another Eastern Conference battle on Wednesday, February 10th. The Detroit Pistons will host the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, February 11th.
