This was the equivalent of a punt, passing on a chance to win a game against a better, more rested opponent.
Forget that the contest was a home game for the Nets at Barclays Center on Wednesday night. That didn’t matter.
They chose to not only rest four key players, but hardly use the regulars that were available.
Jacque Vaughn and Co. treated this like an irrelevant exhibition game against an opponent in the Bucks who had not played well on the road, entering the game at 6-6.
Mikal Bridges, Royce O’Neale and Cam Thomas didn’t log a second after the first quarter. Spencer Dinwiddie (rest), Dorian Finney-Smith (left knee soreness), Cam Johnson (right knee sprain/injury maintenance) and Nic Claxton (left ankle sprain/injury maintenance) didn’t even suit up.
So, it was no surprise that the Nets fell to the Bucks, 144-122, in a game the franchise higher-ups didn’t seem interested in competing.
Rest took precedence on what felt like an impromptu G-League night in Brooklyn.
“I’ve got to think short term and long term and make executive decisions for the betterment of the group,” Vaughn said before the loss. “So that’s where we’re at tonight. Just being smart about what is presented in front of us. … It’s unfortunate tonight that they just got to the point where we’re putting them in harm’s way by putting them out there tonight.”
The decision didn’t seem to sit well with Vaughn’s best player.
“Didn’t like the choice and whatever that was. But it’s whatever,” Bridges said. “Definitely was not a fan.”
Added O’Neale: “Who doesn’t want to play out there? I feel like if we had the chance, we would say we don’t want to rest, but, I mean, it’s the smart thing to do. It’s a long season. Take it game by game.”
Asked if he needed rest, Bridges said: “No, never do.” Bridges was informed at the pregame shootaround of the plan to sit him after the first quarter. Vaughn said he decided after playing O’Neale, Bridges and Thomas for most of the first quarter, he wasn’t going to play them any further.
“I just envisioned that at the end of the night, I didn’t want them touching 40 minutes again,” he said. “That’s really what it boiled down to.”
The Nets (15-16) schedule is busy over the next week.
Wednesday’s game was the second in a stretch of six games in nine days, although before Tuesday night’s win over the Pistons, they’d had two off days in a row.
Interestingly, the Nets don’t have a player among the league leaders in minutes played. Bridges entered the game tied for 26th in minutes at 34.7.
The next highest Net was Dinwiddie at 70th at 31.9.
Vaughn grew agitated when asked if the Nets treated the game like an exhibition, emphasizing that he didn’t coach the game any differently and to suggest that the paying customers deserved better would be to shortchange the players who got the bulk of the minutes.
“I have too much respect for the dudes who suit up and put their body on the line, and the competition level, to even mention the word exhibition,” Vaughn seethed.
Seldom-used rookie Jalen Wilson led the Nets with 21 points and 10 rebounds and Dennis Smith Jr. had 14 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Bucks (23-8) while Khris Miiddleton added 27 points.
