As the world trolls the Nets for their 3-0 hole against Boston, it’s easy to forget that Kyrie Irving has been in this situation before.
Over his career, he has responded pretty well to pressure and adversity and has often stepped up in the biggest moments.
One notable example is the 2016 Finals when Irving (and LeBron James) led an inspiring charge from down 3-1 to win a championship for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to Kyrie, this situation is different. After the Game 3 loss, Uncle Drew refused to talk about a comeback and explained why he doesn’t want to compare this series to the 2016 Finals miracle.
“Being down 3-1 in the Finals was a totally different situation compared to what we’re in right now. I don’t even wanna compare it just out of respect for what that was and the teammates I had and the journey. This is something that’s new for us, as a group. And I can individually say ‘I did this’ or ‘I did that’ but it’s a team game and all I can do is show up tomorrow, be ready for film, and get ready for Monday’s game.”
While not impossible, nobody should be holding their breath for a Nets comeback in this series. Not only has such a feat never happened in league history, but this Celtics team has outclassed and outperformed the Nets in almost way so far. On defense, offense, and on the boards, the Celtics are dominating.
Still, the Nets are going to fight anyway. With Durant and Irving, they certainly have a chance to win these next 4 games. Plus, the addition of Ben Simmons in Game 4 will give them a much-needed boost on both ends of the floor.
So, you can’t blame fans for looking at the situation and seeing some similarities to 2016. That Cavs team proved that, sometimes, the impossible can be achieved.
That hope is all the Nets have left at this point.
