It’s been a thrilling NBA season so far. Fans tuned into the Play-In Tournament, which took place on 16 May, and then to playoffs betting, which kicked off on May 22. In the Western Conference, the Utah Jazz have been playing phenomenally, while over in the Eastern Conference, the Brooklyn Nets, who finished slightly behind the Philadelphia 76ers at the top of the standings, have also been looking sharp. Below is a look at the Brooklyn Nets championship prospects of lifting the Larry O’ Brien trophy.
Brooklyn Nets Championship Prospects
Brooklyn Nets Regular Season
Star man Kevin Durant missed 18 games in the first half of the season and the team lost ten games, but the Nets somehow bucked their ideas up after a loss in Detroit. From there they bounced back and won ten of the last 11 games before the All-Star break.
The team won their opening playoff game against the Boston Celtics on Sunday. They tried to earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The loss of the Charlotte Hornets to the Milwaukee Bucks, and that of the Boston Celtics to the Oklahoma City Thunder, helped them through to the playoffs. However, leaving their fate in the hands of other teams left them with the second seed.
Brooklyn Nets Championship Potential
Anyone who is planning a spot of NBA finals betting will be asking themselves the same question. The 76ers haven’t been able to shake the team truly off in the standings, and in the form of Kyrie Irving, Durant and James Harden, the Nets have the firepower to obliterate any team’s championship hopes when they step onto the court.
Health and injuries have been a problem for the team, however. Other teams will be monitoring the Nets closely to see how they can capitalize on any that occur. Irving, Durant, and Harden have all had their issues. Even supposing all three are in good health for the playoffs, they’ve not had much playing time together. This is another potential misfortune teams will be looking to exploit. Coach Steve Nash will have to work hard on the chemistry between the players.
This highlights yet another issue: the mega-star status of the trio. Each of the players has displayed individual on-court brilliance and come to the club with a heavy price tag. Some have asked, however, if they are just brilliant individuals, or if they can gel as a unit, as a team demands. These people will get their answers as the playoffs progress.
Odds of a Championship
With so much talent on the team, there’s not the slightest doubt the Nets could go all the way. However, ego and temperament questions hang over players such as Durant and Irving. Others have observed that, in the playoffs, Harden has a hard time shooting three-pointers.
If the team are going to come out on the very top, they’ve got to overcome these obstacles. They also need to continue to work on their defense. The team is ranked 14th defensively, whereas teams that win titles tend to have a ranking above 11. A win by the Nets would make them something of an outlier.
Analysts have also called the coaching experience of Steve Nash into question. The head coach may be a veteran on the court, but some wonder whether he has the level of experience to get the team across the finishing line. An optimist may well say he can get the job done. After all, hasn’t he already got them as far as the playoffs?
Key Players
The Nets’ defensive failings place some major pressure on Durant, Irving, and Harden, and how they handle it and perform on the court will be decisive. When the trio haven’t been on form, the team has felt the impact in the form of a heavy loss.
The players around them will enjoy more freedom on the court. With the “Big Three” taking up a lot more of the attention of their opponents, Joe Harris and Timothe-Luwawu Cabarrot will be relatively unmarked and able to provide plenty of support, not to mention scoring.
The “shoot first” mentality of the Big Three has given them a real killer instinct. It’s been noted, however, that Harden, for all his shooting brilliance, has adapted to the role of playmaker. Leaning into this role, rather than being ball dominant, will help the team to work together more smoothly as a unit.
The Brooklyn Nets have an immense wealth of talent on their team and opponents know they’ll have a real battle on their hands. Much has been made, however, of their defensive weakness and of the flaws of the Big Three. Teams that face the Nets will be looking to use these to their own advantage and end the journey to the championship prematurely for the Nets, who are still seeking their first championship win and are believing 2021 is the year they could make it happen.
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