Garnett speaks up at players-only meeting to rally team.
Having lost five of their last six games, Brooklyn Nets star Paul Pierce has admitted that the team are “angry” with their disappointing start to the season.
Following a summer which included the arrival of rookie coach Jason Kidd and a number of stars including Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry, expectations were high ahead of the season.
However, after their 3-7 start the pressure is already on the franchise to turn things around considering that they had championship aspirations this year.
Nevertheless, Garnett has insisted that the players need to find their “identity”, and that he has seen enough in his team-mates to suggest that they are all focused and committed to turning things around.
“As competitors, we’re angry,” Pierce said, according to ESPN.
“Nobody likes to lose. Everybody in this group that we’re here with is very angry. Nobody’s happy about losing.”
The Nets will be keen to end their losing form ahead of a two-game road trip which begins against the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday.
However, Garnett has emphasised that the blame should be shared amongst the players as well as coach Kidd, as they have yet to really find their feet both defensively and offensively.
“The blame is all of us man. It’s not just on Jason. You can’t put the s— all on him.”
“My confidence is that we have a group of guys that are willing to and committed to changing what the current is. It’s easy to quit. It’s easy to give up and walk up out of here and say, ‘You know what, this is too hard,’ but we don’t have that type of team nor do we have that of character.”
Kidd has also had to deal with injuries over the past week, with Brook Lopez and Deron Williams struggling with ankle knocks.
In addition, both Pierce and Garnett have also missed game time, but with the exception of Lopez, the previously sidelined players are expected to play in the upcoming games.
Nevertheless, having gone through practice on Tuesday the Nets are keen to spread the message that they are determined to put things right moving forward, and it is expected that with the talent at their disposal they will eventually begin to climb the ladder in the Eastern Conference.
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