If you ask any NBA organization what their goal is for the season, it’s to be the lone team standing at the conclusion of the NBA Finals. That’s exactly what the Brooklyn Nets are expected to do, especially after last year’s loss to Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Kevin Durant led the surge last season for Brooklyn and he’s doing the same this year.
But for his sake, how can the Nets take some of the pressure off of him to ensure that he’ll be primed for another deep playoff run?
He’s averaging 29.6 points per game, the most in the NBA, and has played around 34.6 minutes in Brooklyn’s 14 games, which is good for 29th, but only a minute-and-a-half separates him from the top 10. The 14-year veteran is shooting 58.6% from the field and 42.4% from the 3-point line. The Nets are 8-2 in their last 10 games and that’s in large part due to his production. After an abysmal start to the season, Durant has pulled the team up the rankings to second in the Eastern Conference with a 10-4 record.
There’s been nothing wrong with Durant’s level of play. In fact, the only “issue” we have with it is that the Nets might be relying far too much on him being unstoppable, which could make them a bit one-dimensional and run KD into the ground. Nets fans undoubtedly love having Durant lead the charge, but they need to help their best player to avoid having to excessively rely on him for this marathon of a season and throughout the lengthy playoffs.
Brooklyn Nets: 3 ways to avoid leaning on Kevin Durant too heavily
3. Deadline Trades
Let’s be real, it doesn’t seem as if Kyrie Irving is going to play for Brooklyn this season. If for some reason he does decide to get the COVID-19 vaccine, he’ll be able to rejoin the team. Even if (a big if) that happens, it’s going to take some time before he can actually play in a game. The point guard hasn’t taken the court since Game 4 against the Bucks on June 13, so he’s not exactly in game shape.
Irving seems to be standing firm on his decision, so it’s time for the Nets to start exploring other options. He averaged 26.9 points and six assists in the 54 games that he played in last year. Brooklyn won’t find an equivalent replacement for that kind of production, but at this point he’s not contributing to the team at all. Something is better than nothing, right?
The trade deadline isn’t until Thursday, Feb. 10, so the Nets have plenty of time to make a move. Philadelphia has its hands tied with Ben Simmons, so the likelihood of a trade happening there isn’t probable. Also, Simmons wouldn’t be a good fit, and the last thing that Brooklyn needs right now is another major distraction. But there are other options. There’s a particular point guard in Houston that could help the Nets be a true contender …
Or, Brooklyn could look for a package that doesn’t feature big-name players. As the season progresses and teams begin to gain a better grasp of what players don’t fit their roster, the likelihood of this kind of deal will come into greater focus. Irving can play in home games for any team that’s not in New York City or San Francisco, so that leaves a number of possibilities.
But what team is willing to go all in for Irving?
2. Change the Starting Five
Durant, James Harden, Blake Griffin, Bruce Brown and Joe Harris have started for Brooklyn in the team’s past 11 games. Harden is averaging 19.5 points per game, Griffin 6.1, Brown 7.4 and Harris 11.3. Harris sprained his ankle in Sunday’s game against Oklahoma City, so Steve Nash is going to start either DeAndre’ Bembry or Patty Mills in his absence.
Durant’s single-handedly carried the starting five. He’s averaging more than 10 points per game than Harden. Against the Thunder, Durant finished with 33 points and shot 9-of-17 from the field. The second-highest scorer in the starting lineup was Harden, who went 5-of-13 for 16 points. However, Patty Mills contributed 29 points in 31 minutes off the bench. He played more than Griffin, Harris and Brown.
LaMarcus Aldridge is the third-highest scorer on the Nets with 12.8 points per game. As of right now, we don’t think that he should replace Griffin in the lineup, but that may be something that needs to happen in the future. That option isn’t completely off the table.
Brooklyn signed Harris to a four-year extension last November. Why, you might ask? To knock down 3-pointers. He’s had promising spurts, but hasn’t been a consistent shooter. Harris shot 36% from three (18-of-50) in the first seven games, but has gone 23-of-38 for 60.5% in the last game seven games.
Harris shouldn’t be counted out by any means, but perhaps him being out of the rotation temporarily will be a time for Nash to perhaps find better fits for the starting lineup. If Brown and Griffin don’t step up anytime soon, Nash will have to starting exploring further options there as well. Durant can’t continue to carry the majority of the weight alone.
1. Unleash James Harden When He’s Ready
For obvious reasons, Harden is going to need to be more consistent with his scoring abilities. He visibly struggled at the start of the year with crackdown on fouls, but he’s been steadily improving.
Harden scored a season-high 39 points on 11-of-18 shooting last Friday against New Orleans, while adding 12 assists and five rebounds. Yes, the Pelicans are far from an elite team, but Harden’s performance was still extremely promising. Harden and Durant combined for a whopping 67 points. Following the win, he said, “I’m getting there.” And he is. His conditioning was off entering the year because he spent the offseason rehabbing his hamstring injury, but it’s coming around.
Last Sunday, he scored 16 points and dished out 13 assists. Durant’s game hasn’t dropped off, but if he has a few games where he isn’t at his best, the Nets will be looking toward Harden. It’ll be beneficial for everyone involved if Durant isn’t the lone player that’s coming out and dominating on a nightly basis.
If Brooklyn makes it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2003, it’s going to be because of both Durant and Harden. The Nets fell short of the mark last year, even with KD’s exceptional play, because Harden and Irving were absent. This time around, they’ll be able to make it over the hill if both players are at their best. And by at their best, we mean that Durant won’t be completely burnt out by the time that the playoffs roll around.
Whenever Harden is out of the woods with his hamstring injury/lingering effects of his rehab, Nash needs to unleash the former MVP and let him take over games to take some pressure off KD.
Kevin Durant and James Harden being mistreated by Thunder fans is a joke
Brooklyn Nets stars Kevin Durant and James Harden took the court together in Oklahoma City for the first time in nearly a decade.