Nets coach denies ‘night off’ mentality

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — Jacque Vaughn didn’t want to hear it.

After being asked whether he was willing to cede victory for the welfare of his weary regulars following Brooklyn’s 144-122 loss to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday in front of 18,199 fans at Barclays Center, the Nets’ head coach took offense.

Both for his participating players and his decision to rest starters Nic Claxton, Spencer Dinwiddie and Cam Johnson, as well as top reserve Dorian Finney-Smith.

“I have too much respect for the dudes that suit up and put their body on the line and the competition level to even mention the word exhibition,” Vaughn insisted.

He certainly made his point clear.

After holding off the league-worst Pistons to hand Detroit its NBA record 27th straight loss a night earlier, Vaughn knew his players needed a breather.

Brooklyn was playing its second back-to-back in less than a week, and that was after the Nets returned from a five-game West Coast swing.

“Any guy could have ended their career tonight by one play and so I treat it as such,” he said. “It is an honor, it is, I don’t know, a sense of gratitude that you do this for a living and you never, ever underestimate that. If you do, you’ll pay for it.”

The reshuffled rotation did its best to keep the Central Division-leading Bucks (23-8) at bay.

Rookie Jalen Wilson piled up 21 points and 10 rebounds, drilling all 11 of his free throws, Trendon Watford added 17 points and Dennis Smith Jr. and first-year forward Noah Clowney added 14 apiece for Brooklyn (15-16).

The Nets evened the game at 81-81 on Smith Jr.’s layup with just under five minutes left in the third…