The nets arent unbeatable its ok5/30/2023 ![]() "Milwaukee would not have advanced if Brooklyn stayed healthy.On Sunday, they appeared to have the game in control going down the stretch despite Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal combining for 78 points. It was when they went down to just one of that they had issues with the champions. "This team played the champions and they weren't at full-strength against the champions – remember, Harden went down as soon as the whistle went off – and still were up 2-0 on the champions. Wiley, however, defended Harden's stance, asking both Acho and Bucher that if they had to bet it all on a team winning the NBA title next season – considering all teams are at full strength – wouldn't they choose Brooklyn? That's as much of a honeymoon phase as there can be."Īcho pointed to Durant's previous dynasty with the Golden State Warriors and how in their third year together, after winning two titles, the relationship between Durant and Draymond Green essentially imploded. When you're in a honeymoon phase, it's hard to know if you will self-implode. Said Acho: "We haven't seen the Nets at full strength to know if the Nets would beat themselves at full strength. On Friday's edition of " Speak For Yourself," Marcellus Wiley, Emmanuel Acho and Ric Bucher discussed Harden's confidence ahead of the 2021-22 season, and if he actually has reason to believe the Nets – healthy – will reign supreme.įor Acho and Bucher, Harden's stance is a "detachment from reality," as Bucher put it. ![]() "Honestly, we’re just excited to play a whole season together. "The biggest thing is us being healthy, which we will be," Harden told SI. scored 49 and put Brooklyn on the brink of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals, before Milwaukee won Games 6 and 7. Then, against the Bucks, even with Harden effectively out in both Games 1 and 2, the Nets beat Milwaukee by eight in Game 1 and 39 in Game 2.Īnd without the services of Irving in Game 5, and a mere five points from a hobbled Harden, K.D. ![]() And it took a gargantuan 50-point effort from Jayson Tatum to guide Boston to its only win of the series. In last year's first-round series against Boston, Brooklyn dispatched of the Celtics in five games, winning by an average of 11.2 points per game. ![]() Durant averaged 27.2 points, Harden put up 20.5, and Irving went for 25.4. In those 14 appearances with all three on the court, the Nets were 11-3. Harden, Irving and Durant only played in eight games together during the regular season and six games together in the playoffs, including the 43 seconds Harden played in Game 1 against Milwaukee. But, if they are, does evidence suggest the Nets can't be beaten? In other words, Brooklyn being "at full strength" as Harden alluded to is by no means a forgone conclusion. Irving has played 70 or more games only three times in his 10-year career, and while Durant has played over 70 games eight times in his 14-year career, he has only reached that number once in the past five seasons, including missing all of the 2019-20 season with a torn Achilles. "The Beard" has played at least 72 games nine times in his 12-year career, and in the 72-game, COVID-19-shortened season in 2020, he played 68 games. Irving played in just 54 regular-season games, Durant in just 35, and Harden in only 37 (he played eight games at the beginning of the season with Houston).īut in reality, those numbers are only shocking when it comes to Harden. The first season for Brooklyn's new "Big 3" was injury-plagued before the postseason began. For more up-to-date news on all things Nets, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!Īfter suffering a severe ankle sprain a little over 17 minutes into Game 3 against Milwaukee, Irving was sidelined for the remainder of the series.
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