The Brooklyn Nets put together a video game-like team when they traded for James Harden, adding him to an already impressive core of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and Joe Harris.
The trade clearly paid off perfectly for the Nets, as they were the best team in the Eastern Conference at one point before Harden was sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Now that they’re all at full strength, it seems like the Nets are once again the clear-cut favorite out of the East, as their offensive juggernaut of a Big 3 isn’t easy to beat in a seven-game series.
But, even on a team that features Irving and Durant, ESPN’s Max Kellerman believes that it would be James Harden the one that would win the Finals MVP award if the Nets go the distance this season.
"James Harden is going to win Finals MVP this season!"@maxkellerman says the Nets are going to stomp through the playoffs to the NBA Finals. pic.twitter.com/eJNDoUS9R0
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 13, 2021
Kellerman has quite a valid point right there. While Durant is the best scorer and Irving is as skilled as it gets, Harden is the best playmaker on the team and the one who’s making each other better.
Also, Harden has some extra motivation to win a ring ahead of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, as they both already know what it’s like to win an NBA Championship.
Even so, it’s still too early to tell and make our picks for Finals MVP. The playoffs are pretty close and the Nets dominated in the regular season, but there are some serious concerns about their defense in a seven-game series.
For the first time in years, it seems like anything could happen in the playoffs. There are multiple teams with a strong shot and determination to make it to basketball’s ultimate stage.
That’s why, once and for all, people expect Harden to silence his critics and step up when it matters the most, unlike what happened during his stint with the Houston Rockets.
