The Brooklyn Nets are one of the best teams in basketball. They have an amazing big three of elite superstars, consisting of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. They just signed Blake Griffin. By all accounts, the Brooklyn Nets look like they will have a cakewalk run to the NBA Finals, based on talent alone.
Despite the Brooklyn Nets being as good as they are, Stephen A. Smith has suggested that they won’t want to face this team in the playoffs: the New York Knicks. The Brooklyn Nets recently beat the New York Knicks without Kevin Durant, so that matchup would probably be even easier. Here is Stephen A. Smith’s reasoning.
"My Knicks are not a team the Brooklyn Nets actually want to face in the playoffs." @stephenasmith on the New York rivals pic.twitter.com/USjm84yy45
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 16, 2021
Stephen A. Smith understands that what he says sounds a little strange. But he justifies it by saying that the pressure would be on the Brooklyn Nets to win in New York. After all, New York City loves the Knicks. The matchup between the two in the playoffs would be a must-watch event. The New York Knicks would have zero pressure, as no-one expects them to win. The Brooklyn Nets are supposed to win that potential matchup in New York. That is why they would never live it down if they lost, as Smith has stated. That comes with its own kind of pressure. Regardless of who would end up winning, the series would be one of the most entertaining in recent memory.
