Nets players respond to beatdown loss to Celtics

Apr 25, 2022; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) reacts during the second quarter of game four of the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Brooklyn Nets were no match for the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night and recognized that.

Boston outscored Brooklyn by 30 in the first quarter and did not let up in a 139-96 win. The Celtics went to the NBA Finals last season and have the best record in the East for now, so they continue to prove they are the top team in the conference.

Kyrie Irving recognized that and acknowledged the Celtics came out ready to mow them down.

Kyrie: "It's clear they want to win the championship & they're not wasting any time in the regular season. We were just one of those teams in the way, and we just can't be one of those teams in the way. We've got to be one of those teams that stands up to them." #Nets #Celtics

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) February 2, 2023

“It’s clear they want to win the championship and they’re not wasting any time in the regular season. We were just one of those teams in the way, and we just can’t be one of those teams in the way. We’ve got to be one of those teams that stands up to them,” Irving said after the game, via the New York Post’s Brian Lewis.

Nets guard Nic Claxton said this was a game for the team to flush and move past.

Claxton: "Honestly, for me it's just one of the games you flush out. If we play them 10 more times we don't get beat by this much. We'll see them again. You just take it on the chin. There's nothing you can do about it. It happened. We got our ass kicked, just keep moving on."

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) February 2, 2023

“Honestly, for me it’s just one of the games you flush out. If we play them 10 more times we don’t get beat by this much. We’ll see them again. You just take it on the chin. There’s nothing you can do about it. It happened. We got our a– kicked, just keep moving on,” Claxton said via Nick Friedell.

The teams have met three times this season and Boston has won all three. None of the games have been such one-sided contests though like this one.

The Nets have gone 4-7 since Kevin Durant last played on January 8.