Carlesimo wouldn't return, hours after they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
Carlesimo's record was enough to get the Nets to their first postseason berth since 2007.
"There is not a team in the league that plays harder than them, " Carlesimo said.
Carlesimo, who worked with Johnson at NBC and coached the Sonics in their last season.
"We played well, " interim coach Carlesimo said after the Nets' 106-89 win over the visiting Bulls.
Carlesimo's understatement falls far short of describing what the Nets did to the Bulls on Chicago.
"I would have taken a one-pointer (win), no questions asked when the game started, " Carlesimo said.
Carlesimo had no update on when Johnson might be back in the starting lineup.
Carlesimo said before the game that Evans was scratched in both eyes against Washington.
Carlesimo saying before the game that the Bulls were a bad matchup for the second-year guard.
Brooklyn has been a different team since Carlesimo replaced Avery Johnson in late December.
Carlesimo, finishing off a four-game sweep of the Magic, who dropped their sixth straight.
Players might sit longer than they want, but Carlesimo runs a merit-based system here.
The Nets have played 11 games in the 22 days that Carlesimo has been their coach.
Yet they have been called for 33 fewer fouls than their opponents with Carlesimo as coach.
Even their free-throw percentage has increased under Carlesimo, to 75% from 73% under Johnson.
Moreover, Williams has said the Nets have responded to Carlesimo's style of coaching, brash and witty.
For Carlesimo, the loss was particularly devastating as he's working to keep his position beyond this season.
"I really think he went from good, promising young player to a very solid guard, " Carlesimo said.
"It's different, " said Carlesimo, who took over two days after that game when Avery Johnson was fired.
The Nets improved to 18-8 under Carlesimo, the second-best start under any of their previous 21 coaches.
Carlesimo followed a custom of many playoff-bound teams and gave them the night off Monday night against Philadelphia.
Carlesimo, a Raptors assistant in the 2010-11 season, said DeRozan has come a long way in two years.
Carlesimo, who took over two days after that game when Avery Johnson was fired, said before the game.
"But I'm sure he understands that you're not going to expect intelligent statements from Mark, anyhow, " Carlesimo said.
Bogans didn't waste any time validating Carlesimo's decision, nailing two quick three-pointers to spark a late first-quarter run.
Carlesimo said his team was lacking the same enthusiasm and confidence it had when he first took over.
Carlesimo was installed as interim coach, and you could hear a little air go out of the season.
Carlesimo said Sunday, revealing that the Nets won't look at specifics of their collapse when they gather Monday morning.
The Nets improved to (19-8) under interim coach Carlesimo, the second-best start under any of their previous 21 coaches.
应用推荐