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The Brooklyn Nets (13-9, second in the Eastern Conference) will host the LA Clippers (16-5, first in the Western Conference) on Tuesday night at the Barclays Center.
The LA Clippers head into this contest looking to win their fourth game in a row. The team has won their last three straight on the road, including their last win which was against the New York Knicks 129-115 on Sunday night.
The Brooklyn Nets will come into the match on the back of 149-146 loss to the Washington Wizards. As per reports so far, James Harden will remain inactive for Tuesday's clash. He was ruled out by medical team staff for Sunday's night's game against the Wizards with a thigh contusion.
Speaking after the game against the Washington Wizards, Steve Nash gave an update on Harden's injury. He said,
“Yeah, I don’t think it’s too severe, I think it’s pretty manageable,” Nash said before his team lost to the Wizards. "Hopefully, it’s just this game.”
Brooklyn Nets vs LA Clippers: Combined starting 5
Tuesday's night blockbuster encounter will be a star studded affair. Some of the league's most elite offensive players will be on the court. Even if James Harden is unavailable, basketball fans will be treated to a dual between Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on one side and Kawhi Leonard and star Paul George.
In this article, we are looking to create the most balanced starting 5 featuring players from both the Brooklyn Nets and the LA Clippers.
Point Guard - Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets)
Let's just forget about what Kyrie Irving said last night when he stated he "couldn't guard a twig" after Russell Westbrook's game winner against the Brooklyn Nets.
Despite Kyrie's defensive woes down the stretch against the Wizards, the 6x All-Star was able put up 26 points combined with 4 rebounds and 8 assists.
With 14 games under his belt, Kyrie Iriving is averaging 27.6 points, 6.0 assist, and 4.8 rebounds for the season. He's shooting 52.2% from the field and 42.1% from beyond the arc.
As we have seen in recent games, expect Kyrie to dictate the tempo of Brooklyn Nets offense. He is more than capable of getting his team going with his ability to control the floor and crafty offensive play.
Power Forward -- Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)
Expect a 30-point plus game from Kevin Durant against the LA Clippers. The 32-year-old put up 37 points against the Washington Wizards and averages 30.9 points for the season.
Since making his Brooklyn Nets debut, the 2x NBA champion has shown no signs of regression in his game despite suffering a devasting achillis tear in the summer of 2019. Durant is shooting 52.0% from the field and 44.7% from the 3 point line for the season.
As long as Durant is on this roster, along with at least one guard in Harden, or Irving -- this team is capable of going very far into the post-season.
Kawhi Leonard - Small Forward (LA Clippers)
Kawhi Leonard is averaging 25.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.8 steals for the LA Clippers. The former 2x Finals MVP has has been the leader that the team desperately needed, which is visible in their hot start to the season with a 16-5 overall record. He scored 28 points on 8-of-15 shooting against the New York Knicks on Sunday night.
Against the Brooklyn Nets, expect Kawhi Leonard to match against Kevin Durant. The former defensive player of the year has matched up with KD multiple times -- most memorably in the 2016 Western Conference Finals. At the time, Leonard was playing for the San Antonio Spurs and Durant was playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Paul George -- Shooting Guard (LA Clippers)
Where should one start with Paul George. After George's not-so-well playoff bubble outing last season, the Clippers star has, somewhat, regained his offensive powers thus far this season. George is averaging 23.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assist.
Many around the league have talked about MVP considerations for the 6x All-Star. Who has on more than one occassion single-handedly driven the LA Clippers over the finishing line.
Expect PG13 to get things going for a LA Clippers offense that will need to match the Brooklyn Nets' high-powered offensive juggernaut.
Serge Ibaka -- Center (LA Clippers)
Serge Ibaka has been nothing but efficient for the LA clippers this season. The 2x NBA Blocks Leader, posted 15 points on 5-6 (83.3%) shooting against the New York Knicks going 3 off 4 from the 3-point line.
Now, Ibaka was not as dominant on the boards as he could've been against the Knicks, but he was still very much productive all around.
Ibaka has now scored in double figures in each of his last 6 games. The LA Clippers center is averaging 12.4 points and 6.7 rebounds for the season.
