Brooklyn Nets acknowledge toll of off-court issues as season ends with first-round sweep by Boston Celtics

NEW YORK — In the wake of their season-ending sweep by the Boston Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets formally acknowledged on Monday night what was apparent throughout their season: All the issues they dealt with off the floor had a big impact on how they played on it.

«I think it was just really heavy emotionally this season,» Nets guard Kyrie Irving said after their 116-112 Game 4 loss. «We all felt it. I felt like I was letting the team down at a point where I wasn't able to play. We were trying to exercise every option for me to play, but I never wanted it to just be about me. And I think it became a distraction at times. And as you see we just had some drastic changes.»

Irving's acknowledgement was noteworthy given that his decision not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 hung over everything the Nets did all season. They started the season under a cloud of uncertainty because of a New York City vaccination mandate that required all workers be vaccinated in order to go back to the workplace. The Nets declined to allow Irving to participate as a part-time player before reversing course in December after a team-wide COVID-19 outbreak. Irving returned to the floor on Jan. 5 but was able to play only in road games before New York City Mayor Eric Adams pulled back the mandate for athletes and performers in late March.

Aside from Irving's in-and-out status, the Nets dealt with an ankle injury to guard Joe Harris that forced him to miss all but 14 games this season; an MCL injury to star forward Kevin Durant that forced him to miss six weeks; and a trade at the deadline in February that sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks. The trade was a move