Weeks after securing the services of All-Star James Harden, in one of the most anticipated trades the league have seen, the Nets roster seems to be completed with the “hopeful” return of Kyrie. It’s safe to say that they are The Super Team Of The NBA – So What Now For Brooklyn?
The First Trial
On Wednesday, we had the first look of the new All-Star trio playing together, in Kyrie, Durant and Harden, and not just any look as they were forced to 2OT and ended up playing at least 48 minutes. They combined for 96 points, but could not get past the grind of the overtimes, as Sexton and the Cavs were too hot to handle shooting 50 % from 3-point range.
Brooklyn were trailing by 13 in the 4th Q, made a late push but could not cross the finish line as they fell in 2 overtimes. However, the real problem seems to be with their defence. The Cavs shot 51.4 % overall, scored 147 points and did not have Kevin Love, Darius Garland, or Dylan Windler. In addition, They didn’t have an answer for Sexton in the overtime periods, as the third-year guard scored 20 consecutive points to cap off a career-high 42-point performance.
Here is what the Nets head coach Steve Nash had to say:
“We seemed a little lost at times, which is natural because we haven’t played together, so there’s a little indecision. We started the game turning the ball over, I think we had seven or eight in the first quarter. But I stay positive. These guys, first night out together, just getting a feel for each other, and this is gonna be a process. It’s gonna take the entire year. While we’re all disappointed, we’ve got lots to build on, lots to grow, and lots more opportunities”
So What Now For Brooklyn?
We know that Durant and Irving can play together, we saw that at the start of the season. We also know that Durant and Harden can play together, We just saw that in the prior two games. But what we don’t know just yet, is whether they can all co-exist and win together. If so, how long will the process take?
Besides that, we know they have a solid lineup, but how good is their bench? 125 out of 135 points yesterday were scored by the starting 5. Will that be a problem during a long season?
It’s still early to answer such an important question, having all of them playing just one game together. However, all eyes will be following this team to see what they can achieve. There is no doubt that Brooklyn is currently the strongest team in the league. On papers they should be ready to win the championchip, despite the changes the reigning champs did to their roster, Brooklyn seems to have more motive to prove themselves and chase that ring.
They have so much power in their offense that it created a problem for their defense. How will they address that? We saw how much the defense struggled against a very average Cavs team, so how will they compare to stronger and more experienced teams? Only time will tell!
On the other end of the floor, offensively, we saw what they are able to do. Every one of them have his own added value, his own signature move. However, the question/concern here is: Will 3 of the best scorers in the NBA be happy with fewer points and fewer possessions? Will they be satisfied just by winning? Assuming they will, who will be trusted to take the last shot if the game was on the line?
Conclusion
The Super Team Of The NBA – What Now For Brooklyn? There are so many questions to answer, but only time will give us the most important one. How good can this Brooklyn side be? Can they dominate the league for a long time? Maybe force other teams to create bigger super teams?
How about you Nets fans? How long are you willing to wait to see good results? Are you willing to stand behind the coach if he did not deliver? And most importantly, are you willing to take any more drama from your star players?
Feel free to leave your comments and opinions.
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