Nets unpack insurrection at U.S. Capitol while anti-Trump protest takes place outside Barclays Center; Irving doesn't play vs. 76ers

NEW YORK — In the hour leading up to tip-off between the Nets and 76ers on Thursday, the more important news happened just outside of Barclays Center.

More than 400 New Yorkers, including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Nelini Knight of the Working Families Party, gathered outside of the Nets’ home arena denouncing the actions of Trump-supporting domestic terrorists, calling for the president’s impeachment after Wednesday’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Williams and Knight highlighted the clear disparity between the thousands who overran the Capitol building at his urging and the peaceful protesters of the Black Lives Matter movement, insisting that the siege on the Capitol should not be compared to any BLM protest. If the angry mob that attacked the Capitol was made up of Brown or Black people, they would “still be cleaning up the blood on the steps (of the Capitol building),” Williams said.

Inside Barclays Center, Nets head coach Steve Nash detailed how his team got wind of Wednesday’s events. Players and personnel didn’t start learning of the violence happening in Washington until after practice, so Nash wasn’t able to have a conversation with them about it.

“But I’m sure it’s on everyone’s mind, the obvious and flagrant disparity in the way these situations are treated, and I think we’re all in lockstep as to how unequal these situations and scenarios in society is, and that’s why players ,and the league have continued to fight for change and social justice, and here we are again,” he said. “So this is going to be a long fight, a long battle, to reach hopefully equality one day, but better levels of equality in the meantime, and it continues.”

Nash also admitted it was difficult to focus on the task at hand — playing the loaded Philadelphia 76ers — with something more pressing than basketball happening in the country.

“I think it definitely puts things in perspective as far as your workplace goes. We put our life into the game, we have passion for it, and we work every day to try to give everything we have to this,” he said. “These situations are a reminder that it’s just a game and there’s so many inequities in our society and the world that are so much bigger than the game we play.”

Nets star Kyrie Irving did not play against the Sixers on Thursday for personal reasons, the team announced. Nash had no additional information on the nature of Irving’s absence, noting he texted the All-Star guard about two-and-a-half hours before tipoff and got no response.

“Obviously thinking about him and hope all is well and, yeah, it’s a private matter,” Nash said.

One report suggested Irving is out merely due to rest.

Without Irving, Kevin Durant (COVID-19 protocol) and Spencer Dinwiddie (ACL), the Nets started Caris LeVert, Bruce Brown, Taurean Prince, Jeff Green and Jarrett Allen. The latter four started in Brooklyn’s 130-96 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

All players on both teams stood for the national anthem.

Nash suggested that Durant, who came in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, could return as soon as Sunday if he continues to register negative coronavirus tests.