The Brooklyn Nets have turned the tables on all of their critics by being on a 12-game winning streak (which ended against Chicago Bulls on Wednesday) after being led by both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Not only is the entire team supporting each other, but the remarkable turnaround has made everyone question their defensive voids.
While a lot of praise should be given to the entire team, NBA Insider Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated rightly pointed out how things could go haywire if the Brooklyn Nets fail to faze out in the playoffs this time as well.
As one might be aware – the Brooklyn Nets have always managed to string a good patch of form with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant but their energy lingers during the knockout stages. Perhaps this is just what is indicated by Beck as he feels that this Eastern Conference team will face catastrophic consequences if the Nets fail to make a significant run in the postseason.
“If the Nets fall short of a championship – fall short of the Finals, fall short of maybe the Conference Finals – I don’t believe there is any desire by leadership in Brooklyn to want to bring back Kyrie Irving unless they really feel like they have to,” Beck said on a recent episode of The Lowe Post podcast (h/t Josh Buckhalter of heavy.com). “If he goes, why wouldn’t Kevin Durant want to explore things yet again?”
This makes actual sense and could be a 100% true scenario. This is Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant’s fourth year with the Brooklyn Nets, and things have already been controversial in the past off-season. If the Nets fail to win a championship even this season, when they have their entire roster at full health, this could be the end of this duo. Perhaps for good.
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