With the Bucks defeating the Rockets 141-133 today, they successfully counterattacked and rose to the second place in the Eastern Conference, while the Nets, which once stably dominated the top spot, were unfortunately pushed to the third place due to the lack of advantage in the outcome. , because Harden has not returned due to injury, although they fought hard to the last moment in the past four games, they always failed to seize opportunities at critical moments. Irving The two top scorers, in the approaching playoffs, have instead put themselves into a situation of extreme fatigue.
lost at the starting line? The Nets have never been able to get the key to winning the championship
The Nets can be said to be the most active team in the league in terms of market operations this season. They first brought Harden to Brooklyn and formed a three-team team with Durant and Irving. The giants, and then signed Griffin and Aldridge with a basic salary, two power forwards who still have a fighting ability, although the latter suddenly announced his retirement due to physical reasons, but judging from the luxury of the lineup , the Nets are still the only level in the league, and their only purpose is to win this year's championship trophy with a smashing trend.
However, before they got a good hand, they took the lead in making an incredible decision, that is, to use Nash as the head coach, and also hired his mentor D'Antoni to join the coaching staff. The Nets have become one of the most powerful offensive teams in the small-ball era, and it seems that the tactical concept that only relying on offense to win the championship is about to become a reality.
Unfortunately, the truth of the world is often difficult to change easily, and the basketball field is no exception. The Nets' historical-level offensive ability has not been able to continue in the long regular season , and Harden, who is the engine of the system, is overwhelmed. He was finally attacked by injuries. Durant could no longer perform the difficult moves at his peak since he ruptured his Achilles tendon. Irving's eccentric outlook on life also affected the normal operation of the team, and Nash could not play in it. The kneading effect makes the Nets' prospects even more bleak.
From the perspective of God, , the Nets have done so much preparation for winning the championship, but looking back, they found that they had already lost at the starting line. They could not find the key to truly activate the luxury lineup. If is in the next game There is still no change in Nash, so let's not say whether the Nets can win the championship smoothly, at least they will play extremely difficult every game.
The Big Three have been besieged, and the Nets' good hand has been smashed.
Now the Nets have dropped to the third place in the Western Conference after four consecutive losses. Although it is only a ranking gap, it means that they are in the playoffs. In other words, the Nets, who are already plagued by injuries, have to spend a lot of energy before entering the finals stage. Once the core players cannot guarantee their health, it will greatly reduce their final performance. probability of reaching the top.
Let’s first look at the potential opponents of the Nets in the playoffs. If they finally start their journey in the third place, Then they will face one of the Heat, Eagles and Celtics. The second round will be In the event of the Bucks led by letter brother , in the Eastern Conference finals, it is necessary to compete with Philadelphia . Even if Harden can come back in a 100% state, every round of the series will be a tug of war.
Objectively speaking, the Nets' hard power is no less than that of any team in the East, but their weakness is very obvious, that is, the core players are not healthy, and are young and strong. The letters of Compared to brother, the attendance rate of Du, Ha, and Ou has been completely crushed throughout the season. Therefore, when they encounter a strong enemy in each round of the series, it is the biggest damage to themselves. For this, Durant should have had a taste of it long ago during the 2019 playoffs.
So even if the Nets' playoff journey has not yet begun, their good hand has actually been smashed, and Nash exposed his trump card prematurely. The possibility of them being able to win by surprise at a critical moment is no longer possible. Big, now the only hope is that the Big Three can work hard to hold on, and no one will fall at the foot of the injury before winning the championship.
Sometimes the reality is often so cruel. With the defending champion Lakers down to the play-offs, the Nets, who are regarded as the most popular to win the championship, failed to manage themselves well. Without this wave of four-game losing streak, they are now Perhaps still sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference, talking and laughing freely, I wonder if the Nets management regretted the hasty selection of Nash?
