On the second night of a back-to-back, the Brooklyn Nets opted to rest three starters and limit the playing time of other key players on their way to a 144-122 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. However, one of the team’s biggest stars was not happy with that approach.
“Didn’t like the choice and whatever that was,” Nets star swingman Mikal Bridges told Zach Braziller of the New York Post. “But it’s whatever. Definitely was not a fan.”
According to ESPN, Bridges played the entire first quarter against Milwaukee but didn’t see the floor again over the final 36 minutes of the contest. He had played 40 minutes in Tuesday night’s win over the Detroit Pistons, but he told Braziller that he “never” needs to rest. Still, he was able to extend his consecutive games streak to 423 on Wednesday, keeping alive the longest active streak in the NBA.
In addition to Bridges’ limited playing time, the Nets rested starters Spencer Dinwiddie, Nic Claxton and Cameron Johnson as well as key reserve Dorian Finney-Smith. Cam Thomas, Brooklyn’s leading scorer, and veteran wing Royce O’Neale also didn’t return to the game after the first quarter.
Nets head coach Jacques Vaughn said after the game that he felt he would be putting his players “in harm’s way” if he didn’t opt to rest them, as they’re in a tough stretch in their schedule. Brooklyn had a five-game road trip before Christmas and will embark on a four-game trip later this week. However, Vaughn denied treating Wednesday’s contest like an exhibition game.
“I have too much respect for the dudes that suit up and put their body on the line and the competition level to even mention the word exhibition,” Vaughn said. “Any guy could have ended their career tonight by one play, and so I treat it as such.”
The Nets (15-16) will return to action on Friday when they visit the Washington Wizards (5-25).
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