New coach, same old story for the New Jersey Nets, who now share a dubious NBA record after losing their 17th straight game to begin the season.
Nets Lose 17th-Straight, Tie Futility Record
Their latest defeat came in a 106-87 blowout by the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, hours after the Nets fired head coach Lawrence Frank.
The 0-17 start by the Nets ties them with the 1988-89 expansion Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers in the lockout-shortened 1999 season. The Nets can have the record to themselves if they lose at home to Dallas on Wednesday night.
Sunday night’s defeat also set a record for longest losing streak in team history, eclipsing a 16-game skid set from January 5 - February 3, 1978.
Nets assistant coach Tom Barrise was named to serve as head man for the Nets following Frank's firing. He was the longest tenured coach in the Eastern Conference, signing a multi-year extension with New Jersey following the 2006-07 season, the fourth straight year Frank led the club to the playoffs. The team has regressed since that time.
“It’s a rough situation losing a coach,” said Nets center Brook Lopez. “He gave us so much. He tried to find ways to make us better. He told us to stay strong and play tough.”
Kobe Bryant scored 30 for the Lakers, who won their sixth straight game - all by double digits. They also beat the Nets for a fourth straight time. Pau Gasol tallied 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Jordan Farmar chipped in 15 points.
Lopez scored 26 and had 12 rebounds for the Nets, who trailed by as many as 34 points. Devin Harris scored 16 and Courtney Lee had 15 in defeat.
Bryant netted 13 during LA’s dominating first quarter, a period in which the Nets shot just 6-of-22 from the field and trailed 27-12 after 12 minutes. That included a 13-0 spurt by the Lakers. Bryant highlighted it with a three- pointer and capped it by making one free throw for a 27-10 cushion.
The domination continued in the second as the Lakers led 59-34 at the break and gained their largest advantage at 73-39 on a Bryant three-ball with 6:52 left in the third.
It was 87-60 going to the fourth, and the Nets never got closer than 17 the rest of the way.
New Jersey fell to 0-11 on the road this season and has dropped 17 in a row as the visitor dating back to the 2008-09 campaign...This was the start of a six- game homestand for the Lakers...LA was 13-of-25 from three-point range...Andrew Bynum had eight points, six boards and five blocks for the Lakers.
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