The Nets haven’t had a lot stability since … nicely, for some time, and now interim head coach Kevin Ollie has 28 video games in 55 days to complete the season and show he’s capable of present some.
And he’s not alone.
After working his first apply in Brooklyn after taking on for the fired Jacque Vaughn, Ollie mentioned his purpose was to change into the everlasting head coach regardless of skilled coaches corresponding to Mike Budenholzer, Mike D’Antoni and Terry Stotts, amongst others, all out there.
“We’re all auditioning these 28 video games, gamers included,’’ Ollie mentioned. “And we’ve acquired to be in the identical boat, rowing in the identical course to get this executed.”
He mentioned the playoffs had been nonetheless the vacation spot the staff had in thoughts, even with the staff struggling and a pair of ½ video games out of the play-in spherical.
Ollie and the remainder of the remaining coaches and gamers have their work minimize out for them, not solely to make one thing of this season, however to regular the franchise.
On Tuesday, Mikal Bridges mentioned he was “100%” assured the Nets might flip it round.
“Issues aren’t going good proper now, and that’s life,’’ Bridges mentioned. “You simply form of see what kind of particular person you might be, what kind of man you might be. And I wasn’t raised [so that] when issues get robust to need to depart and get out.”
As a substitute, Bridges insisted he wished to remain in Brooklyn.
“I’m right here now and need to keep right here,’’ Bridges mentioned. “And I’m going to maintain grinding and attending to wherever we’ve acquired to get to win, and that’s why I’m right here for.”
He additionally appeared inspired by having Ollie working the present on the courtroom.
Even when the Nets had been over .500 in December, Bridges mentioned there have been issues.
“We had been successful, however we weren’t detailed on each ends sufficient,’’ Bridges mentioned. “We weren’t taking part in as arduous as we must always have been. After we begin dropping slightly bit, our [bad] habits began to point out. On protection, we’re not speaking to one another, we’re not serving to, we’re not in rotation. Quite a lot of it’s on the gamers, as nicely, however I feel we weren’t in sync and we form of didn’t know what we had been on the market doing. It was slightly little bit of a free-for-all.”
Ollie preached hustle and energy in his first day on the job.
“[Energy] has nothing to do with expertise and every little thing to do with coronary heart and can,’’ Ollie mentioned. “That’s what I’m gonna demand. I need hunters. In case you’re hunters, you’re gonna play.”
However he additionally defended Vaughn.
“[Vaughn] was taking all of the punches for us,’’ Ollie mentioned. “We’ve acquired to know that it’s a complete teaching workers, it’s a complete, you understand, gamers within the locker room understanding, being accountable for his or her power. We need to make a push, make a push for a playoff run, and that’s what I need our guys to focus on.”