Brooklyn Nets: Suns could be Brooklyn’s toughest Finals opponent
By Mike Luciano
The Brooklyn Nets will take on the Phoenix Suns in a Sunday matinee, locking horns with a team that went from a laughing stock that has missed the playoffs for the last decade to a well-oiled machine currently in possession of the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
While Brooklyn defeated them earlier in the year, that shouldn’t give them the idea the Suns are a pushover.
Monty Williams has the Suns playing exceptionally efficient basketball on both ends of the floor, as the backcourt tandem of Chris Paul and Devin Booker is currently helping Phoenix sport one of the best defensive teams in the league.
That could be an issue for the Nets backcourt, even when James Harden returns from injury.
The Nets were playing without Kevin Durant — who is likely returning for this matchup after missing their win against the Celtics — and Kyrie Irving in their first meeting, but they only pulled out the win due to a Harden masterpiece. That’s probably not the most reliable strategy to lean on, as assuming that late flurry will happen no matter what would be foolish.
If the Nets end up overcoming their health problems and making it to the Finals, there are several teams Brooklyn should hope survive the West over Phoenix, as the Suns match up well with Brooklyn on several fronts.
Kevin Durant is probable for tomorrow’s game against the Suns. Durant has missed 30 of the Nets’ last 36 games.
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) April 24, 2021
The Phoenix Suns could give the Brooklyn Nets trouble.
These aren’t your grandpa’s up-tempo Suns. They rank 24th in pace, which means that they are willing to take the air out of the ball and slow down a team like the Nets that likes to push. The Suns are also seventh in offensive rating, showing that they are making what few shots they take over the course of a game.
Impressively, Phoenix is sixth in the league in defense, and the reason for that goes beyond Williams’ schemes or Paul’s veteran leadership. Jae Crowder and Dario Saric are an ideal rotation at the power forward spot, and two long-limbed youngsters in Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson make it difficult to get any air on the perimeter.
If the Nets want to go inside, they’ll have to contend with Deandre Ayton, as the former No. 1 pick is becoming an automatic double-double while improving his chops on the defensive end of the floor. With the defensive skill at every position needed to hound the Nets, even their star trio could run into some problems in a seven-game series.
The Suns at full strength should worry the Nets just as much as any of the traditional powers in the West, as this new-look lineup is committed to playing strong defense and shooting the lights out. Even if Brooklyn is fully healthy, they shouldn’t look past Phoenix as a worthy opponent just because of their recent history.
