Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
The Knicks share the city with the Brooklyn Nets’ Big 3, but they have not shared the court in the previous two meetings – both have lost Knicks.
That is, until possibly Monday night at Barclays Center when the Nets threaten to be healthy and ready to take on the Knicks as a trio. There is hardly a guarantee, but there is at least a chance.
After the Knicks’ 44-point victory in Detroit on Saturday, Reggie Bullock and Julius Randle take the Zoom stage together after combining for 49 points.
Randle and Bullock sent a pointed message across the Brooklyn Bridge when asked about the possibility of finally facing the Nets’ Big 3 on Monday.
“We got a big 5,” Bullock said.
“A Big 15,” Randle remarked quickly.
“A Big 15,” Bullock continues. “We have a pretty good team. We are not really worried about their Big 3. We know what kind of basketball we will be able to play. We focus on our team and the game plan that the coach draws up. That’s all we’re focused on – the Knicks. ”
Even with the Nets’ personal days and injuries, it’s still fiery hot. That leads the Eastern Conference at 34-15 to Sunday’s Bulls game.
This is the season in which the Nets compete in a championship, and also recently added former All-Stars Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge.
The Knicks? They signed a third string center, Norvel Pelle, who already made an impact on their blueboard image in their debut. He continued to play with a dislocated right index finger to make a free throw and block two shots in the final two minutes on Saturday.
This is the Knicks 2020-21 – stars are missing, but not fighting spirit. At least they have the one lead on the Hollywood Nets of KD, Harden and Kyrie.
“We’m worried about ourselves,” said Randle, who was named an All-Star for the first time this season. ‘We have a whole team of guys. We try to play the right way, we play hard. We play with energy. We feel we are doing it, we have a chance to win against anyone. It’s not about them and who they have or not. It’s about having to compete at a high level per night. ”
The Knicks have withstood various injuries in the team – mainly at starting center Mitchell Robinson – because they have depth.
The Big 15 indeed.
“It has to be the mentality of every team,” Bullock said. “There are 15 players in the rankings. Together with our team we have our leader, coach. We know how wonderful we can be. It was our goal at the beginning of the year to compete against everyone and to have fun while we do it. ‘
Another key to the Knicks’ 25-25 record is that they were two best players, Randle and RJ Barrett, iron horses.
Randle missed one game. Barrett has played in all 50. Each has suffered recent injuries – Randle with a thigh bruise and Barrett with a single sprain. This is not the culture of the Nets.
Across the East River, Durant has only played 19 games this season due to a hamstring strain that followed on Achilles’ sabbatical last season. Irving spent many personal days and Harden recently made the injury list with a hamstring.
If Durant had fit on Monday, it would have meant in his two seasons with the Nets, he would have played 20 of a possible 127 games (including the playoffs).
In contrast, Randle played 112 of a possible 115 games in his two seasons with the Knicks. But who counts in this new NBA?
The culture of rookie coach Steve Nash is to be durable for the playoffs. Perhaps Tom Thibodeau’s culture of durability and chemistry developed during the regular season will harden them for the post-season.
Bullock and Randle were part of a starting lineup that was 42 games consistent – whether Robinson or Nerlens Noel were the starting center.
“We know how talented they are,” Thibodeau said. “We’ll have to be ready. Even if there is not one, they still have a lot of talent and they have added more talent. But we know if we defend and keep our turnover, we are more than capable. ”