{"id":268865,"date":"2021-06-07T22:55:59","date_gmt":"2021-06-07T19:55:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/nets-can-turn-nba-playoffs-into-true-knicks-horror-show\/"},"modified":"2021-06-07T22:55:59","modified_gmt":"2021-06-07T19:55:59","slug":"nets-can-turn-nba-playoffs-into-true-knicks-horror-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/nets-can-turn-nba-playoffs-into-true-knicks-horror-show\/","title":{"rendered":"#Nets can turn NBA playoffs into true Knicks horror show"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Nets can turn NBA playoffs into true Knicks horror show<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

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In a different life, a disconnected Nets star named Stephon Marbury wrote the words \u201cAll Alone\u201d on his sneakers. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant were not expected to deliver any such message in Game<\/a> 2 against Milwaukee. They had each other, after all, which was the plan all along.<\/p>\n

Before James Harden was a glimmer in Brooklyn\u2019s eye, Irving and Durant, or Durant and Irving, were signed to lead a supporting cast of capable role players to an NBA title after Durant\u2019s ruptured Achilles\u2019 had healed. That vision could be making a comeback in this second-round series<\/a>. Harden might return at full strength from his re-injured right hamstring in short order, or he might be limited enough \u2013 or outright unavailable enough \u2013 to force his fellow members of the Big 3 to become a Tantalizing 2 that carries the playoff load.<\/p>\n

Starting with Monday night\u2019s game at the Barclays Center, Nets fans would not be the only New York, New York parties invested in the outcome. Knicks fans should be watching too, since their franchise\u2019s grand plan in the wake of the Kristaps Porzingis trade was to sign Durant and Irving as championship centerpieces. Porzingis seems to be slowly withering away in Luka Doncic\u2019s considerable shadow in Dallas, but that\u2019s not the point. The Knicks lost out to the Nets on Durant and Irving (after losing out to the lottery gods on Zion Williamson), and signed Julius Randle as a consolation prize.<\/p>\n

Randle will never be forgotten in the city for leading the Knicks back to respectability in his second year. But as he proved in a dispiriting first-round loss to Atlanta, he will never be Durant, not even close. The Knicks\u2019 second-best player, RJ Barrett, will probably never be an Irving, though he still hasn\u2019t reached his 21st\u00a0birthday and, well, we\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n

\"Kevin
Kevin Druant and Kyrie Irving led the Nets to a Game 1 win over the Bucks.<\/figcaption>
Charles Wenzelberg\/New York Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Either way, while Knicks fans watched their \u201cstars\u201d struggle mightily against the Hawks, Durant and Irving (and Harden) were lights out against the Celtics, before Durant and Irving (without Harden) were lights out again in the Game 1 victory over Milwaukee. Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said he was \u201cheartbroken\u201d over the Harden injury 43 seconds into the Eastern Conference semis, and his two relatively healthy stars sure sounded gutted too.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hate that it had to happ<\/a>en to him right now,\u201d Durant said.<\/p>\n