Nets: Fourth quarter scoring proves that KD, Kyrie, and Harden are all All-Star starters
By Mike Luciano
After a few weeks of uncertainty, the NBA has come to an agreement to host an All-Star Game amid the coronavirus pandemic, currently scheduling it for March in Atlanta. After years of anonymity largely keeping them out of the All-Star picture, the Brooklyn Nets can announce their arrival as a member of the NBA’s elite tier by sending three players to the All-Star Game.
The Nets, fresh off a difficult victory over Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers, have entrusted their success to the trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. Not only have these three all taken on this responsibility with maturity and aplomb, but all three have put up numbers worthy of an ASG nod, especially given how they’ve produced in the clutch.
There are currently just three players in the NBA averaging over eight points in the fourth quarter, and they all play for the Nets. Given how efficient they’ve been while compiling these numbers, it only makes sense for all three of Brooklyn’s superstars to end up in Atlanta for the All-Star game as starters.
Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden are all excelling for the Brooklyn Nets.
All three of Brooklyn’s superstars are having excellent offensive seasons, albeit in different ways. While Durant is scoring at a clip he hasn’t reached since his Oklahoma City days, Irving is on pace to set a new personal best in points per game thanks to his career-best shooting percentage and 3-point percentage.
While Harden has sacrificed his scoring just a bit, he is making himself known in a variety of ways, recording 8.2 rebounds and 12.0 assists per game with Brooklyn. Counting his numbers in Houston, Harden is leading the NBA in assists with 11.2. When all three of their stars have played together, the Nets are 4-1.
The Nets are currently in possession of arguably the best overall scorer in the game in Durant, the league’s best ball-handler and difficult shot-maker in Irving, and the NBA’s best distributor in Harden. With their gaudy numbers coming in the context of meaningful games, these three not being selected as starters would be an egregious oversight.
While all three of these players will likely be named All-Stars, the numbers show that 60 percent of the East’s starting lineup should end up consisting of Brooklyn’s star trio. Not only do they have the data to back up their scintillating start, but they are three of the game’s best entertainers, and they could put on a show in Atlanta.