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The Brooklyn Nets knew this wouldn’t be a simple journey to the highest once they signed Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but it surely’s been a complete lot weirder than they anticipated.
Particularly recently.
Irving has declined to undergo a New York Metropolis mandate requiring that every one residents be vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19 with the intention to participate in occasions held indoors. Because of this, he is not going to be allowed to play or follow with the staff in Brooklyn. And the group seems disinclined to permit him to be a part-time participant, solely taking part in on the street in areas that can permit unvaccinated gamers on visiting groups.
The Brooklyn Nets have a more durable street than anticipated as Kyrie Irving’s unvaccinated standing continues, however James Harden stands out as the beneficiary.
Issues are more durable in a world the place the Nets should play with out Kyrie Irving, however they’re nonetheless one of the crucial proficient groups within the NBA with out him. The addition of James Harden to the roster in January is the most important purpose for this, even past Kevin Durant’s presence.
It’s secure to say Durant will seemingly miss an affordable variety of video games this season, even assuming good well being all through the marketing campaign. Saving him put on and tear prematurely of the playoffs is vital for a staff anticipating to make a deep run, and the Nets will certainly discover methods to try this.
However, James Harden is an iron man with only a few exceptions apart from final season’s hamstring pressure. If Irving is certainly sidelined, Harden could have a shock inside monitor to a high MVP candidacy.
Luka Doncic is the present betting favourite for MVP, whereas Giannis Antetokounmpo SHOULD be the heavy favorite, however Harden will seemingly shoulder the heaviest load on a Nets staff that expects to problem for the East crown with or with out Irving.
With the Huge 3 intact, Harden would haven’t any credible case. There’s a restrict to how a lot expertise an MVP candidate can have round oneself, and one of the crucial proficient Huge 3s in NBA historical past is certainly past that threshold. Nonetheless, subtracting the third member of that trio modifications the equation.
Utilizing final season as a metric, the Nets had been excellent with Harden on the ground even with out Durant and Irving on the ground. With these particulars in place, the Nets had a +3.0 net rating. The duo of Durant and Harden solely acquired 216 possessions collectively due to poor damage luck, however they had been totally devastating once they had been on the ground collectively, posting a web score of +19.9.
Harden’s manufacturing is almost unmatched within the NBA, and the type of constant output he offers (particularly within the common season) ought to swiftly vault him up MVP leaderboards. Despite the roster instability the Brooklyn Nets endured final season, Harden put up stable numbers however nothing to the spectacular diploma he did with the Houston Rockets.
The factor is, that’s as a result of the Nets didn’t want him to be a world-beater final season, they simply wanted him to be an excellent quarterback. Assuming Kyrie Irving is a non-factor this season, they’ll want a complete lot extra out of him. And that’s the place James Harden shines.
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