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Brooklyn’s three-headed monster Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Kevin Durant didn’t exactly turn the Nets into the juggernaut they expected to be. In 26 games, Brooklyn is only 14-12 years old. While they managed to string together several impressive wins against top competitions, they also fell to 7-11 against teams below 0.500. Tuesday was another such loss. The Nets allowed 122 points in a loss to the Detroit Pistons, owners of the NBA’s No. 24 ranked offense.
It was another frustrating night for a team that have struggled to find stability so far this season. The trio of Harden, Durant and Irving have only played together six times so far, and now that Durant is sidelined due to league health and safety protocols for the second time, the trio shouldn’t be doing it. meet before Friday.
That doesn’t excuse Brooklyn’s flaws so far this season. Irving himself called the Nets average. But he also criticized the NBA and its officials for their handling of the Nets this season, arguing they have faced unique challenges since acquiring Harden.
“I don’t think we go out everyday in our lives and sacrifice time to be mean at anything. I know you don’t wake up, I know nobody here on this call is waking up to be mean. at everything they do. And we look very average. We have the talent that the sight test presents, that we should dominate. We have the experience of some of our guys that have been through certain things, circumstances to be able to fight. And we’re dealing with a lot of reality that we’re setting up on the fly. “
“We are the team that the NBA has hosted the most games on. We are the team that takes someone out during COVID, during games, we are the team that has to face the referees, we are there ‘team literally fighting so many odds, that at this point there’s not even reason to continue commenting. They are what they are. As a warrior that I am, and the energy that I have alongside my teammates, we just have to turn this corner, and we haven’t, but we will, and I’m telling you, the league will be notified when that happens. “
The league’s application of its COVID protocols to Durant warrants some debate. He had COVID-19 last March, and if he still had antibodies he would theoretically lack the ability to spread the disease among his teammates. But the league makes no distinction between those who have had COVID and those who do not. Considering the number of players known to have tested positive at any given time, it is almost certain that other players have been held up despite the presence of antibodies. Durant is the only player to be removed from a game due to protocols, however.
When it comes to referees, Irving’s theory is a bit more subjective. The Nets came in eighth in the NBA on Monday in free throw attempts per game despite rare attacks on the basket. They take the 17th most hits in the restricted area per game and the 19th most hits in the paint outside the restricted area. This is a vaulting team, and although Irving and Harden both average fewer free throws than they average for their careers, much of that is because of their role. . They both wield the ball less than ever because they play with each other. Harden leads the NBA in assists, and this emphasis on ball movement has made him less prone to fouls.
It’s also worth noting that the Nets lost two games when Irving left the team without explanation in early January. His seven-game absence coincided with Harden’s trade, and he even missed Harden’s first two games as a Net. It’s not like Kyrie is fully responsible for what’s going on in Brooklyn right now, but having one of their best players in the building all season would likely have made a difference in terms of chemistry and comfort in the system of new trainer Steve Nash.
The season has not even reached the halfway point. Eventually, Brooklyn will figure out how to maximize its talent pool, and with the trade deadline and buyout season over a month away, Sean Marks has time to supplement the existing core with the right kind of players. But Brooklyn’s struggles are not entirely external. It’s not as simple as the league enforcing its rules more strictly against them or having officials deny them whistles. The Nets currently play middleweight basketball, and internal defense growth will need to be the catalyst for any serious improvement.
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