NBA

Garnett’s Plan B during struggles: ‘Continue to talk and inspire’

MIAMI — Kevin Garnett didn’t repeat his scoreless performance from Game 1, but he didn’t exactly find his groove at that end of the floor, either.

Garnett finished 2-for-8 from the floor — including 1-for-6 in the paint — and finished with four points as the Nets lost 94-82 to the Heat in Game 2 of this Eastern Conference semifinal, falling behind 2-0 in the series.

“I’m not happy with my play right now,” Garnett said. “I’m trying to get in a flow and a rhythm. Try to bring something. It’s just frustrating. But I’ll grind through it.”

Garnett was active and involved in the game in other ways — he finished with 12 rebounds, including five offensive boards, and also had three assists and three steals in his 20 minutes of action.

But he struggled with misses close to the basket, including a crucial one midway through the fourth quarter that was sandwiched between a pair of Heat 3-pointers — one by Mario Chalmers and the other by Ray Allen — that gave Miami an 85-77 lead. The Nets never seriously threatened again.

“Continue to work,” Garnett said when asked how he can try to get into a rhythm. “Continue to find ways to be aggressive offensively. Continue to look for opportunities, and continue to talk and inspire.”


After the Nets’ bench came up short in Game 1, it bounced back in a big way in Game 2.

The reserves combined for 37 points, including 20 from Mirza Teletovic, who set the team’s single-game playoff record for 3-pointers in a game with six.

“Our bench tonight, they were huge,” Deron Williams said. “Mirza came in and was big and gave us sone big minutes, [Marcus] Thornton as well. They were definitely a big reason we were in the game until the fourth quarter.”

Teletovic knocked down five 3-pointers in the first half, while Thornton added 10 points and provided good energy for the Nets when he was on the floor. They will need more of the same from both players in Game 3 Saturday if they hope to get back into the series.

“We fought until the end,” Teletovic said. “We had the last five, six minutes [of the game] where we lost three to four rebounds and they got the ball. I think they had more chances to attack than we did. We have to keep doing like we did this game and fight until the end, and I think we have a good chance to win at home.”