Mikal Bridges on Nets’ recent play: ‘We’re just not good right now’

Mikal Bridges has when his play has not been up to snuff this season. Following the Nets’ on Friday in Washington, the forward did not mince words, either. “We’re just not good right now and we just have to be better,” Bridges said. Brooklyn has struggled to find its most formidable starting five this season. The search has led to some slow starts on offense, particularly in recent weeks. But more problematic at this point are the team’s defensive issues. The Nets rank 23rd in the NBA in defensive rating (117.0) entering Sunday’s road matchup against the . While they are sixth in the league in protecting the paint (46.6), opponents are averaging 116.1 points per game against them with an effective field goal percentage of 54.1, which ranks 15th in the league. Brooklyn was outscored 26-18 in the fourth quarter on Friday night in Washington. The Wizards shot 50.5% from the field and 39.5% from deep for the game. They are ranked 25th in the league in offensive efficiency (112.1) this season. “So overall, our ability to do our jobs every single possession, we’re still learning that,” head coach Jacque Vaughn said. “That’s a task for this group. We have to go into every game with a sense of desperation no matter who we’re playing and not be cool. “So that focus and concentration level was not there from us, and you pay for it. These are good teams, and these are dudes who can score. And if you give them confidence and an ability to have rhythm, and you don’t break that rhythm and you don’t dictate actions, then you’ll pay for it.” Said , “Yep, absolutely.” The Nets are sitting at 15-17, which is right around where many expected them to be through 32 games. However, the most disappointing aspect of their recent slump is the fact that they have proven capable of much more at various times this season — despite the injuries and absences they have been forced to endure as a team. Brooklyn won seven of nine games from Nov. 25 to Dec. 13. While that stretch featured only two wins over current playoff teams in Orlando and Miami, at least it was taking care of business against the teams it was supposed to. The Nets had an offensive rating of 122.3 and a defensive rating of 112.3 in those nine games. From Dec. 14 to Dec. 29, a porous 2-7 stretch, they have an offensive rating of 114.4 and a defensive rating of 122.7, good for an abysmal NET rating of -8.3. They have had a defensive rating of 126.8 over their last nine games versus 119.5 on the road. Their defense has been among the NBA’s worst no matter where the games have been played. “Just us not guarding in general,” Bridges said. “I just think we all have to lock into knowing what we’re doing. In the pick-and-roll defensively, when to help, when to rotate. I think we’re still not on the same page with things like that… I just think we have to be more in-tune and trust in what we’re doing.”