With Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets are, objectively, the most talented team in the league. Even going outside the main three, they’ve got a lineup of supporting players that any team would love to add.
Still, despite the depth of the roster, many have their doubts that Brooklyn will win the East this year.
Jalen Rose has already expressed this doubt in the past and, most recently, so has famous NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. According to Woj, Eastern execs are pointing to one big flaw with Brooklyn that could ultimately lead to their downfall this season.
“The sense among the other contenders in the East is that, when healthy, the talent gap is significant. That’s the best team.But teams like Philadelphia, Milwaukee, even Miami, when they get it together and are healthy, the playing together, the cohesion, knowing who they go to in big moments.
Then defensively, we keep talking about offensively with Brooklyn and who’s gonna take the shot, but they’re going to have the stops in the playoffs. They’re gonna have to be able to defend against size. I think the other contenders in the East think that’s their way to close that gap with the Nets, is their familiarity on the floor. The fact that Nets are going to face moments with their big three in the postseason, that they haven’t had yet together in the regular season.”
Obviously, for as much talent as the Nets have, they lack a true go-to big man in the middle. When facing teams like Philadelphia, Milwaukee, and Miami, the Nets are going to (seemingly) have trouble guarding their star bigs. If those teams can exploit that flaw, it might just be enough to get a series victory.
Nevertheless, the Nets still have the best chance at holding up that Larry O’Brien trophy this summer, and it will take nothing short of a miracle for any team to stop them.
