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Nets’ Jacque Vaughn says shootaround in Washington turned season around

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Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn has had a tough task this season. He started this season as an assistant coach to Steve Nash before Nash was fired on Nov. 1 as the team struggled to a 2-5 start.

Even though Vaughn became the acting head coach following Nash’s firing, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Nets were expected to sign former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka even though Udoka was suspended by the Celtics at the time (and still is). That transaction eventually fell through and Vaughn remained the interim head coach until Nov. 9 when he was named the permanent head coach.

Since Vaughn became the acting head coach, the Nets have the NBA’s best record (20-6) and have looked like a team that believes in each other. It looks like the Nets have bought into Jacque Vaughn and that buy-in has had huge dividends early on. Vaughn spoke after Monday’s 125-117 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers about where the season turned around for Brooklyn:

“I think our shootaround in Washington was kind of the precipice of that (season turning around) and me getting up in front of the group and being as vulnerable as I could be and explain the situation and really telling them that I’m gonna be as consistent as I possibly can with you every day. I’ll always do what’s best for the group and guys really appreciate that. I’ve really grown to understand it, understand our ways, and we really create an atmosphere of basketball”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C76y2DpGM0k?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent&w=1000&h=563]

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The Nets are on a nine-game winning streak heading into Wednesday’s game at the Atlanta Hawks.

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