NEW YORK _ The euphoria the Nets experienced on June 30 when top-tier free agents Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant agreed to take their talents to Brooklyn has given way to the reality that they are a team in transition that still is learning how to work together with a superstar point guard and integrate a new cast of veterans with their youthful core.
That much was evident Wednesday night at Barclays Center when the winless Pacers came in and took control in the third period before pulling away in the fourth quarter to lead by as many as 16 points on their way to a 118-108 victory over the Nets.
For now, dreams of contending for an Eastern Conference title are on hold for the Nets because they have much work ahead. It won't get easier Friday night when James Harden and Russell Weastbrook of the Rockets bring their act to town.
The Nets scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to close within four points, but their fourth-quarter defensive woes became evident once again even with center DeAndre Jordan remaining in the game as a defensive presence. Jeremy Lamb scored six points and Domantas Sabonis added six in an 22-8 Pacers run that pushed their lead to 112-96, their biggest lead in the game with 4:43 left.
As scintillating as Irving had been through the first three games, averaging a league-high 37.7 points, not even he could dig the Nets out of a hole that deep coming down the stretch. Once again, the Nets played small in the fourth quarter, but they never got closer than nine points the rest of the way.
Irving topped the Nets (1-3) with another stellar line of 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Spencer Dinwiddie added 20 points and seven assists, and Caris LeVert had 15 points. But the Nets shot only 32.3% from three-point range (10 of 31).
The Pacers (1-3) had four players top the 20-point mark, including Sabonis (29), Lamb (25), Malcolm Brogdon (21 and 13 assists) and T.J. Warren 20. They became the third straight team to torch the Nets from three-point range, hitting 42.3% (11 of 26).
The Pacers arrived as a desperate and dangerous team after losing their first three games of the season, and they also were getting high-scoring Lamb back from the injury list. In addition, they figured to test a Nets defense giving up 123.3 points per game with their three-point shooting.
Coming off a loss in Memphis where they surrendered 134 points, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said, "I think transition defense was an issue in Memphis. We're trying to improve that. Teams are shooting the three well against us. You can't deny it. I think we're top 10 in attempts given up, least attempts, so the attempts aren't high, it's just their percentage is high.
"I think defining our closeout defense, who am I closing out to, what does the contest look like, knowing personnel. We'll get better. I think our process is right, I think our system is right. We've just got to get everybody on the same page."
Sure enough, the Nets fell behind by 10 points early in the opening period, but they put together a 20-7 run spanning the first and second quarters to take a 42-35 lead. The Nets scored on nine of 13 possessions in that stretch. The nets maintained control to take a 63-60 halftime lead, but midway through the third period, the Pacers went on a 19-6 run to regain their 10-point cushion just before the quarter ended with the Nets still trailing by seven.
The Nets' first three games of the season included two one-point overtime losses and their only win also was decided in the final minutes. But this one turned into a rout.
