5 Positives that the Brooklyn Nets can take from a disappointing 2020-21 NBA season

Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets were the odds-on favorite to win the 2021 NBA championship this season. The acquisition of James Harden to form a 'big-three' alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving saw them build one of the best rosters ever in the history of the league.

The Nets automatically became an attractive destination for veteran free agents and various players across the league as they continued to find ways to improve their superteam. The addition of LaMarcus Aldridge and Blake Griffin was enough for everyone to believe that the Nets were going all the way.

The Brooklyn Nets finished as the second seed in the East, despite playing their 'big-three' comprising Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving just eight times together throughout the season. The likes of Joe Harris, Jeff Green and Nicolas Claxton carried out their jobs brilliantly as role players to help the team play through their adversities.

They started their 2021 NBA playoffs campaign with a bang against the Boston Celtics, clinching a 4-1 series win. By doing so, many of the questions regarding the Brooklyn Nets' ability to deliver in the postseason were answered emphatically by them.

However, the Brooklyn Nets were once again impacted by injuries at crucial junctures. They couldn't overcome the mighty Milwaukee Bucks as they saw their 2021 NBA season come to an end on Saturday night.

They did all they could, though, and put up a great fight to take the contest into overtime. Kevin Durant led the charge for the team in the absence of an injured Kyrie Irving and a hobbled James Harden, who played through a Grade 2 hamstring strain. The Brooklyn Nets lost the series-deciding game 111-115.

Nonetheless, the Nets, despite a disappointing end to their campaign, do have a lot to look forward to and should be feared by the rest of the teams next season. On that note, let's take a look at five positive takeaways for them as they head into the offseason.


#5 The Brooklyn Nets remain an attractive destination

The Brooklyn Nets, despite their early exit from the 2021 NBA playoffs, will hold an advantage in the market to attract quality players moving forward. That is because of their stellar showing in the postseason, making players believe they are a legitimate contending side.

The list of players who might be keen to join the Brooklyn Nets also includes their own free agents like Blake Griffin, Jeff Green and Bruce Brown Jr., who have stepped up on various occasions and were phenomenal for the side.

Blake Griffin, in particular, has played some of the best basketball of his career in recent years. From being a mere role player, Griffin earned a starting role in the squad and was seen dunking and making hustle plays similar to his 'Lob-City' days with the LA Clippers.

While the Brooklyn Nets are likely to keep hold of their big three, they will need veterans like Griffin to build a solid squad around Durant, Harden and Irving to keep a decent balance.

These players may even be willing to accept a minimum contract to help the team have some salary flexibility, which will be crucial for the Brooklyn Nets to contend with next season.


#4 The Brooklyn Nets are still the strongest team in the Eastern Conference

Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn Nets

The injury-plagued Brooklyn Nets taking the fight to an almost full-strength Milwaukee Bucks is a great testament to the fact that they are the strongest team in the Eastern Conference. The likeliness of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving staying next season is high, which will help them contend next season as well.

On top of that, they now have a full offseason to prepare their squad well for next season. The Brooklyn Nets' big-three will have more games under their belt as well, provided they stay injury-free for long patches. That will help them play much better in the postseason.


#3 The Brooklyn Nets can play competitive defense

The Brooklyn Nets' weak defense was one of the biggest concerns raised by many NBA analysts and fans. The fact that they only played eight games with Kyrie, KD and Harden playing together made everyone wonder how that may impact the Nets defense.

However, their defense was key in helping them win the series against the Boston Celtics and force the series against the Milwaukee Bucks to be played till Game 7.

The Brooklyn Nets were unfazed by the Bucks' offensive prowess as they emerged as the better defensive side in multiple games during the series.

The Nets restricted the Bucks to just 101.9 points per contest across seven games. Their defensive rating of 104.5 was also much better compared to that of their opponents, who had a 107.3 rating during the series. Before the Nets series, the Bucks scored 118.5 points per game against the Miami Heat, which again shows how highly competitive the Nets were on the defensive end.


#2 Kevin Durant is in top condition physically

Kevin Durant played all the minutes in Game 5 and Game 7 of the series against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Kevin Durant played all the minutes in Game 5 and Game 7 of the series against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Kevin Durant playing 299 minutes in the seven-game series against the Bucks wasn't ideal considering how injury-prone has been this season. It was the highest for any player in the series between the Nets and the Bucks. He also suffered one of the worst injuries (ACL) in the sport in the 2019 NBA Finals, which sidelined him for the entirety of the 2019-2020 season.

There were heavy concerns regarding his physical condition heading into this season. Him being on the bench for just 17 minutes in the last three games speaks volumes about how lethal he still is at 32 years of age.

The Brooklyn Nets will be relieved to witness that and the fact that he was easily the best performer in the 2021 NBA playoffs for them.


#1 Brooklyn Nets 'Big-Three' have a healthy chemistry

James Harden joined the Brooklyn Nets to form the NBA's latest 'big-three' alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. There were questions raised regarding their fit with each other. The three stars are arguably the best iso-players in the league, who are ball-dominant and have been primary scorers for their previous teams.

Everyone wondered who would step down from being the team's frontline offensive player and if there would be chemistry issues. However, all three players did just fine in the regular season and the NBA playoffs as well. Harden accepting the role of a facilitator played a huge part in that, while Kyrie Irving giving up ball-handling responsibilities was also crucial.

The trio did a tremendous job in their debut playoff series, playing together against the Boston Celtics and proving they can sync well. They scored 426 of the Brooklyn Nets' 617 points in that series. The trio also tied the record for most points in a Game 4 blowout win against the Celtics in round one, scoring 104 of the Nets' 141 points.

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Edited by Arnav Kholkar