The NBA season is officially over for the former Big Three of James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Looking back now, would it have been better if they stuck with him in Brooklyn?
In the 2020-21 NBA season, the Brooklyn Nets were very close.
After adding James Harden to their dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Nets took off in a major way in the second half of the NBA season. Harden played MVP-caliber ball after coming through the trade from the rebuilding Houston Rockets, and the Nets looked like a serious force to be reckoned with.
When the playoffs rolled around, Brooklyn’s momentum only continued.
With their “super team” completely intact, the Nets wiped out the Boston Celtics in the opening round of the playoffs, 4-1, despite the stellar play of (then) rookie star Jason Tatum. Brooklyn looked unbeatable with Durant, Harden and Irving on the floor together.
In the second round of the postseason, the Nets jumped out to a quick 2-0 series lead over the great Milwaukee Bucks, led by the unstoppable Giannis Antetokounmpo. Unfortunately for Brooklyn, Irving went down with an ankle injury And the pendulum swings in the chain.
James Harden also They were hit by the net, but were able to take the series into Game 7 overtime. One Toe on line A deep shot by Durant was the difference in the series.
Of course, Giannis and his bucks went on to win it all. Everyone could see how close the Nets were to being the best team in the NBA.
When the Nets super team eventually collapsed, did Irving, Durant, and Harden end up in better positions?
We all know what followed over the next two years: Harden hated living in Brooklyn and worked his way up to Philly in an eventual trade that sent Ben Simmons to the Nets.
Kerry has had every bit of drama under the sun, including his unvaccinated status, “personal” vacation time and offensive anti-Semitism. He was eventually traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney Smith and picks.
This past season, Durant demanded a trade. He finally got his wish during the season, when he was dealt to the Phoenix Suns for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and picks.
How did it all happen?
Both Durant and Harden were knocked out in the second round of the playoffs, and Keery missed out on the playoffs entirely. Did they simply have to keep the band together in Brooklyn?
Why Harden, Durant, and Kerry Were Better in Brooklyn
I realize that both personal and financial issues have cropped up in the Nets’ rapid turnaround of a superstar team, but for the purposes of this article, I’m simply talking about chemistry and value on the field.
On the court, the Nets’ big three finished with a 13-3 record combined.
The balance made sense as Harden pulls wide in the big moments, while Durant and Curry are more than willing to make the big shots. Harden would rather be the distributor, and he worked perfectly in the role.
On their commutes to other places, things became more difficult. The Mavs and Suns both exhausted their depth to get Kyrie and KD, respectively. The players ended up in more difficult situations to navigate, compared to bringing the Big Three together in Brooklyn.
in philly, Looks like Joel Embiid isn’t the guy to get Harden over the hump in his postseason career. In Game 7 against the Celtics yesterday, Embiid shot an embarrassing 5-of-18 from the floor, then threw his teammates under the bus during the post-game press conference. Harden and Embiid haven’t accomplished anything yet in Philadelphia.
In the end, the net was right on-Court mix when it comes to Durant, Kyrie and Harden. If Kyrie and Harden hadn’t hurt against the Bucks in 2020-21, it’s reasonable to assume they could have won an NBA championship.
but now? Everything is looking wrong for the former Big Three of the Nets. Everything feels comfortable. Their career seems to be slowly fading into retirement.
Looking at the entirety of the situation right now, Nets fans can’t help but wonder one logical thing: what if?
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