The Brooklyn Nets are facing their first big test of 2020-21
Through the first two games of the 2020-21 NBA season, there had not been a team that looked more impressive than the Brooklyn Nets. Brooklyn opened up the season with back-to-back 20-point wins over the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics.
Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant looked as good as ever and the team had the look of the best – and deepest- Eastern Conference team. Then, the Nets ran into the Charlotte Hornets who made everyone rethink that original premise.
Not only did the Nets lost to the Hornets 106-104, but they also lost Spencer Dinwiddie for the season after he suffered a partially torn ACL in the loss.
More from Sir Charles In Charge
- Dillon Brooks proved his value to Houston Rockets in the 2023 FIBA World Cup
- NBA Trade Rumors: 1 Player from each team most likely to be traded in-season
- Golden State Warriors: Buy or sell Chris Paul being a day 1 starter
- Does Christian Wood make the Los Angeles Lakers a legit contender?
- NBA Power Rankings: Tiering all 30 projected starting point guards for 2023-24
Even though Dinwiddie was only averaging seven points per game through the first three games, he was considered a vital part of the team’s starting 5 and the “third star” playing next to Durant and Kyrie.
Dinwiddie was coming off a season a year ago in which he averaged 20 points, seven assists, and four rebounds per game. This will be a huge loss for the team moving forward and will force the coaching staff to figure out a way to replace him in the starting lineup.
On paper, the Nets will still be considered one of the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference. As long as Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant remain healthy, I’m not sure any of that will change, or the perception of them as contenders. Nevertheless, it was the depth of this team that gave them the opportunity to be special.
I’m not sure how much losing Dinwiddie is going to impact this team’s starting 5 and their bench, but it’ll be interesting to see how this team elects to move forward under first-year head coach Steven Nash.
The Nets are facing their first true test of the 2020-21 NBA season. Not only after losing to the Hornets, which will be looked as a disappointment but after losing such a big piece to this team’s championship blueprint.
Who would’ve thought that we’d be asking how the Brooklyn Nets will replace Spencer Dinwiddie at any point this season? Nevertheless, here we are.