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Kevin Durant # 7 of the Brooklyn Nets shoots as Kawhi defend Leonard # 2 and Nicolas Batum # 33 of the LA Clippers in the second half at the Barclays Center on February 2, 2021
With only a handful of games left in the regular season, it’s clear that there are few teams in the NBA who can match the top-to-bottom talent of the Los Angeles Clippers – Kawhi Leonard and Paul George at the top to a bank that (with the Milwaukee Bucks) is synonymous with the sixth best overall win / -.
However, when it comes to elite superstars, no team in the league is as stacked as the Brooklyn Nets who, when intact, have a starting grid led by Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.
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Due to injuries and personal reasons, Durant, Harden and Irving have shared the hardwood in just seven games this season, making it difficult to predict how dominant the nets will be in the postseason. They still remain the favorites to win, but given the big three’s lack of time and the team’s defensive problems (Brooklyn ranks 24th in the defensive standings), a title is far from a foregone conclusion.
Am Friday’s Alex Schiffer and Seth Partnow of The Athletic investigated which teams had the best odds of taking the nets out in the playoffs, including how the Los Angeles teams could be fair if they hit the nets in the finals. p> Partnow was ultimately higher in terms of the Lakers’ chances of switching off the nets, but only slightly less sold at the Clippers. He cited her multitude of « Rangy Wing athletes who could pester Brooklyn’s stars » with « many different looks » in defense – presumably with reference to Leonard and George in addition to Terance Mann, Nicolas Batum and Patrick Beverley.
Partnow also pointed out the toll that Leonard and George will take on the increasingly injured and gauzy Durant.
« While the nets are probably better equipped for guarding Kawhi Leonard and Paul George than those of (Lebron) James and (Anthony) Davis, « Partnow said, » guarding Durant could be a little tiring, and we don’t really know. » How well would his body withstand this type of task and offensive load after winning three series. “
After missing the entire last season with a torn Achilles, Durant has only played 30 games this year. February and March missed two months with a hamstring injury and three games in April with a hamstring injury. But when Durant played, he played well, averaging 28.0 points on 53.8% shooting while using 5.1 assists.
He was inactive for Brooklyn’s 108-112 win over the Clippers on February 21 – the last time the two teams met – but he was very active in their first meeting on February 2, scoring 28 points in an 11-on-13 win of the field in the Nets 124-120 . (Brooklyn’s big three scored 90 points together in that first game.) « In my opinion, the Clippers have to prove this after last year before we discuss it, » said Schiffer.
Last year the Clippers entered the playoff bubble with the second best record in the west, however, were knocked off in the conference semifinals by Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets despite taking a 3-1 lead.
The collapse of LA against Denver, which was caused by a miserable 10v38 shooting performance between George and Leonard was interrupted in Game 7, hung over the Clippers’ heads all season and effectively dampened title expectations despite consistently topping the Western Conference rankings. The Clippers are not the same team as they were last year, however.
New head coach Ty Lue, who took over for Doc Rivers before the start of the season, witnessed the continued development of the young players Mann and Ivica Zubac. LA strengthened its playoff qualifications by taking over former champion Serge Ibaka (144 playoff appearances) out of season. and the mid-season trade for Rajon Rondo (121 playoff games), who owns two rings, the last one came with the Los Angeles Lakers last year.
Ibaka, who is a three-point threat and an elite rim protector is, if he’s healthy, has been out with back problems since mid-March, but hopes to get back to the playoffs in time. And Rondo, chosen primarily for his playoff wizardry, has already paid dividends for formerly injured starting point guard Patrick Beverly. The Clippers are 10-4 after Rondo has seen action and he hopes he can help keep Leonard and George fresh in the playoffs by reducing their responsibilities for playing and handling the ball.
Ref: https://heavy.com
