After a thorough whacking by the New York Knicks on Thursday, the Brooklyn Nets continued their recent string of struggles in a 108-98 to the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

Brooklyn was ice-cold to start the game, and not in a good way. James Harden and Russell Westbrook had their way with the Nets’ defense — or more accurately, lack thereof. It looked like Houston’s dynamic duo was going to run away with the lead and hand Brooklyn another demoralizing loss.

But it is never that easy with this team, is it?

After falling behind quickly, the bench unit checked into the game and started to eat into the 22-point deficit. When only one of either Harden or Westbrook were in, the Nets made progress slowly clawed their way back into the game.

.@taureanprince catching FIRE in his home state 🔥🔥🔥🔥

4/5 3P in the half pic.twitter.com/pBjpX1qN0o

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 29, 2019

Unfortunately for Brooklyn, Houston was not particularly fond of that idea. While the game was exceptionally close down the stretch, the firepower from Harden was simply too much for the injury-depleted Nets to contend with.

Take it @tpinsonn 💥 pic.twitter.com/xmwaolai44

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 29, 2019

This game was another example of the problems the squad will continue to run into with Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert both sidelined. Nets fans will hope their return comes sooner rather than later.