Brooklyn, New York
\nKyrie Irving did not appear on the injury report for the Brooklyn Nets, but how much longer he wants to play for the team became a major story line Friday afternoon when reports surfaced about the guard seeking a trade.
\nThe Washington Wizards are focused on continuing their recent ascent in the Eastern Conference playoff race when they visit the Nets on Saturday night.
\nFor the third time in 13 months, a star requested a trade out of Brooklyn. James Harden\u2019s request was granted via a deal to the Philadelphia 76ers that netted Ben Simmons.
\nThen, during a turbulent offseason following a four-game sweep by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, Kevin Durant sought a trade before hashing things out with management.
\nAmong the reasons Durant wanted out was the team\u2019s inability to win when he injured his left knee. When he was out from mid-January to early March last season, the Nets lost 16 of 21 games, including a stretch of 11 consecutive defeats.
\nThis season, Brooklyn is 4-7 amid the star forward\u2019s ongoing absence due to a right knee injury.
\nIrving\u2019s reported trade request occurred after Brooklyn\u2019s embarrassing showing in a 139-96 loss at Boston on Wednesday. After winning four of their previous six games, the Nets were outscored 46-16 in the first quarter and trailed by as many as 49 points.
\n\u201cI told the group I\u2019m disappointed in the fact that I did not have them ready to play,\u201d Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn said after his team allowed a season-worst 26 3-pointers. The Celtics also hit 57.6% of their shots overall. \u201cI take the blame for all of it. I\u2019ve gotta do my part.\u201d
\nWhether the Nets are ready for one of the league\u2019s hottest teams of late remains to be seen, especially with three more games before Thursday\u2019s trade deadline and Irving seeking a deal. He could hit free agency after the season.
\nBefore Wednesday, the Nets\u2019 worst showing was a 153-121 loss at Sacramento on November 15, and Brooklyn followed that up by going 19-3.
\nBrooklyn and Washington played three times between November 4 and December 12, with the Wizards losing all of them. The last two of those defeats came during a 10-game skid, which dropped their record to 11-20. Since then, Washington has gone 13-7 to go from a tie for 12th to a tie for ninth in the East.
\nOne of Washington\u2019s losses since that 10-game slide occurred Friday night when the Wizards blew a 20-point lead and saw their season-best, six-game winning streak end with a 124-116 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland hit 17 treys.
\n\u201cThat was a master class on how to lose a game,\u201d Washington\u2019s Kyle Kuzma said after the Wizards allowed more than 15 3-pointers for the third time in the past 12 games.
\nThe Wizards held a 36-19 lead after the opening quarter but were done in by allowing 39 points in the third. Washington\u2019s collapse spoiled big nights by Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis.
\nBeal scored a season-high 34 points after averaging 18.5 points in his first six games back from a strained left hamstring. Porzingis collected 32 points after getting 17 on Monday in his return from a three-game absence caused by an ankle injury.
\nWhile Beal and Porzingis are expected to play Saturday, the Nets could be without Simmons (sore left knee) and T.J. Warren (left shin contusion), who are both listed as questionable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Brooklyn, New York Kyrie Irving did not appear on the injury report for the Brooklyn Nets, but how much longer he wants to play for the team became a major story line Friday afternoon when reports surfaced about the guard seeking a trade. The Washington Wizards are focused on continuing their recent ascent in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":311853,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-311828","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n