Despite Kyrie Nets Favored in the East

 

 

By Andrew Rosario

 

The Brooklyn Nets had their sights on not only getting to the NBA Finals but saw themselves holding up the Larry O’Brien trophy at the end of the 2021 season. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irvin and James Harden breezed past the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. Only 43 seconds in the first game of the second round against the Milwaukee Bucks, Harden strains his right hamstring. The Nets did win the first two games of the series carried by Durant and Irving. Milwaukee took game three while Brooklyn looked to take a 3-1 lead when they took the floor in game four. One play changed the course of the series when Irving rolls his ankle on Bucks center Giannis Antetokounmpo. Irving would not play another game. Harden would return for the final three games but was a shell of himself. Durant did all he could scoring 48 points in the game 7 eliminating loss. His basket sent the game into overtime as his foot just touched the tip of the three-point line. Fast forward to this past Tuesday when both teams met up in Milwaukee to kick off 2021-22 season. Irving will not be with the team and injuries have nothing to do with it.

 

 

 

 

The Covid19 New York City mandates states that individuals who want to attend indoor events, including sporting events must show proof of vaccination. As of Tuesday. Irving has yet to be vaccinated and will not be allowed to play home games at Barclay Center or when the Nets play at Madison Square Garden. The Nets organization went a step further barring Irving from not only practicing with the team but will not allow him to play when the team goes on the road. The day after the Nets decision, Irving took to social media saying. “I am staying grounded in what I believe in. It is as simple as that. It is not about being anti-vax or about being on one side or the other. It is just really about being true to what feels good for me. I know the consequences of the decisions that I make with my life. I am not here to sugarcoat any of that.” Irving could lose as much as $17 million dollars if he misses all of Brooklyn’s home games as well as the games scheduled at MSG.

 

It was Irving who convinced Durant they should sign with the Nets when both were free agents. Both of them reached out to Harden when he gave notice to Houston that he wanted to be traded. Both players understand Irving and respect his decision. “I can’t be too mad at somebody making a decision for themselves,” said Durant after their final preseason game against Minnesota last Friday. In the meantime, the team will learn to adjust without arguably the most talented guard in the league. “When you’re losing somebody like Kyrie Irving,I mean, it’s hard to, on the fly, just figure out where you’re going to get that production from. So, I think over time we’re going to start to figure out which guys are going to step up and play and fill that void of those minutes, those shots, those opportunities. I think we’ll do it as a collective.” Harden chimed in saying, “for us we have to focus on the guys in the locker room. That’s all we can control all we can focus on.”

Without Irving, the Nets are still favored to at least get to the Eastern Conference Finals barring injuries to key players. It would be easier if Kyrie Irving was on the floor with them.