While the Brooklyn Nets put up an extremely valiant effort against the Philadelphia 76ers despite the fact that most of their depth and two of their superstar players were missing, Steve Nash couldn’t lead that ragtag bunch to a win.
While the Nets are uniquely equipped to handle a situation in which both James Harden and Kevin Durant don’t play given the presence of Kyrie Irving, the Nets might be staring a potential chemistry issue in the face by the time the postseason comes around.
While the Harden-Durant-Irving trio has proven to be the most lethal combination in the league when healthy, the group has very rarely been on the court together. Nash knows that this is not an ideal situation, speaking on how tough it has been to navigate this stretch with a worrying comment.
Nash admitted that Brooklyn might not go into the postseason having played a game in which their whole roster is healthy, adding that “nothing is promised tomorrow.” While he did praise his team for sticking together amid all the injuries, this is certainly not ideal as they prepare for the games that truly matter.
Steve Nash on the limited amount of minutes with their healthy lineup this season:
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) April 14, 2021
"We may not get any games with our whole roster. Nothing is promised tomorrow. I don't want to worry or be concerned about things that aren't in our control."
Steve Nash and the Brooklyn Nets are not a healthy squad.
Irving, who just came back from a one-game break, had to take on Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid without Harden, who is nursing a hamstring injury, and Durant, who has managed his workload after his own injury concerns. In addition, Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge were both out … and Aldridge retired on Thursday.
Spencer Dinwiddie has missed most of the year with a torn ACL, and a knee injury sidelined backup point guard Tyler Johnson. Even fourth-string point guard Chris Chiozza couldn’t suit up due to a broken hand. The Nets have been lauded for their medical staff, and they are certainly being put through the gauntlet this year.
The “there’s only one ball” trope might not apply to the Nets given how well the star trio has worked together, but the fact those guys will have only played a handful of games before the start of the postseason could present chemistry issues. With several role players also on the mend, this is not what the Nets envisioned.
Brooklyn will still make it to the postseason, and their collection of All-Star talent will get them a long way, but it’s fair to be a bit concerned about how all the puzzle pieces will mesh given how little playing time the heavy hitters have shared.
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