Brooklyn’s three-headed monster of Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant did not exactly turn the Nets into the juggernaut they would expect. Through 26 games, Brooklyn is just 14-12. Although they managed to score several impressive victories against the best competition, they also fell to 7-11 against teams under .500. Tuesday was such a loss again. The Nets allowed 122 points in a loss to the Detroit Pistons, owners of the NBA’s No. 24 position.
It was another frustrating night for a team that has struggled so far this season to find stability. The trio of Harden, Durant and Irving have only played together six times so far, and now that Durant is out for the second time due to the health and safety protocols, the trio is not expected to reunite until Friday.
That does not excuse Brooklyn’s shortcomings so far this season. Irving himself mentioned the Nets average. But he also criticized the NBA and its officials for dealing with the Nets this season, arguing that they have faced unique challenges since acquiring Harden.
“I do not think we go out of our lives every day and sacrifice the time to be average. I know you are not waking up, I know no one here on this call is waking up to be average for everything. they do.and we look very average.We have the talent that the eye test offers, that we have to dominate.We have the experience in terms of some of our guys who have gone through certain things, conditions to be able to go through “And we’re dealing with a lot of the reality that we’re getting it going.”
“We’re the team that hosted the NBA the most games. We’re the team that gets someone out during COVID, during the games, we’re the team that has to deal with the refs, we’re the team that literally struggles against so many chances that there’s not even a reason to comment on it at this point. That’s what they are. As a fighter I am, and the energy I have with my teammates, we just have to be around the corner. turn, and we did not do that, but we will, and I tell you, keep the league informed if that happens. ‘
Maintaining the league’s COVID protocols over time justifies some debate. He had COVID-19 last March, and if he still had antibodies, he would theoretically not have the ability to spread the disease among teammates. But the league makes no distinction between those who had COVID and those who did not. Given the number of players tested positive at some point, it is almost certain that other players have been kept out, even though they have antibodies. Durant, however, is the only player to be pulled out of a match due to a protocol.
As for the refs, Irving’s theory is a bit more subjective. The Nets entered eighth in the NBA on Monday in free throw attempts per game despite rarely attacking the basket. They take the 17th most shots in the restricted area per game and the 19th most shots in the paint outside the restricted area. It’s a springboard team, and while Irving and Harden both throw on average less for free than they were on average for their careers, this can be largely explained by the role. Both handle the ball less than ever because they play with the other. Harden leads the NBA in assists, and the emphasis on ball movement has made him less likely to make mistakes.
It should also be noted that the Nets lost two games when Irving left the team in early January. His absence of seven games coincides with the Harden trade, and he even misses Harden’s first two games as a net. It’s not like Kyrie is entirely to blame for what’s going on in Brooklyn right now, but having one of their best players in the building all season would probably have made a difference in chemistry and found comfort. in the new coach, Steve Nash’s system.
The season has not even reached the halfway point yet. Finally, Brooklyn is going to figure out how to maximize its wealth of talent, and with the trading deadline and buyout season of more than a month, Sean Marks has time to complement the existing core with the right kind of role players. But Brooklyn’s fight is not entirely external. It is not as simple as the league applying its rules more strictly against it, or the officials whistling them. The Nets are currently playing average basketball, and internal growth in defense will have to be the catalyst for any serious improvement.