Brooklyn Nets: Losses to Bucks prove Nets need a healthy James Harden
The Brooklyn Nets need a healthy James Harden.
Through much of the season, the Brooklyn Nets have proven to be a force and, oftentimes, one of the most dominant teams in the league. In the Eastern Conference, they’ve emerged as the favorite and that’s even with their big three of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden only playing in seven games.
And heading into the playoffs, the big narrative that was beginning to surround this team was that they’d still make a deep playoff run even not at 100 percent healthy. Whether that would be Durant, Irving, or Harden missing a game here or there, that this team would still be overwhelming enough to win the East. Or, at the very least, make a deep run.
Although, after back-to-back losses to the Milwaukee Bucks, you’d have to question whether that remains true.
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In fact, I think there’s an argument to be made that after their losses to the Bucks you almost have to come to the conclusion that the Nets need a fully healthy squad to truly make a deep run in the playoffs.
The Brooklyn Nets were sent a warning
With just a few games remaining in the regular season, the Nets are sitting in the second seed of the East, 1.5 games back of the Philadelphia 76ers. There’s a good chance that the Nets and Bucks will meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals in a 2-3 matchup.
If the Nets are going to win that series, they probably need a healthy Harden to truly feel confident about that.
Milwaukee is one of the few teams in the East that could match up with the offensive firepower that the Nets have and actually feel comfortable about it.
The Bucks have four great defenders that they could throw at the Nets’ trio in Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, PJ Tucker, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. They also have a top 10 overall defense. Offensively, the Bucks are a team that can keep up with Brooklyn.
They have a top 6 offense and an MVP candidate in Giannis. What has always been the case for Milwaukee in the postseason is how their halfcourt offense will look. Though, that was the big point of adding Holiday during the offseason.
Holiday gives the Bucks another option to help this team run halfcourt sets and avoid being bogged down on that end of the floor. Considering one of Brooklyn’s biggest weaknesses is their overall defense, it’s hard to see the Bucks having issues on that end of the floor – and that’s why the Nets need a healthy Harden in a potential series.
Harden is the ultimate wildcard for the Nets. He’s the player that makes this team absolutely special and overwhelming. A combo of Durant and Irving is dangerous but adding Harden to the equation is why so many believe the Nets can win a championship this season.
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If Brooklyn is not healthy, all that is thrown out the window. And the Bucks proved that during this week.