Su knew before the day began: Eric Adams, mayor of New York, was able to carry out his greatest wish and Kyrie Irving made his. The point guard has run out of restrictions in New York (they are still in force in Los Angeles or Canada) and will be able to play in Brooklyn at home. Something that will condition the rest of the season and that has caused us to see the Nets as what they really are, a team full of talent, without any defensive plan but analyzable from a net perspective and completely different from the rest of the season. An entity that only with two historically good players and some of the quartermaster, can win the ring. And that, without taking into account the participation in the equation of a Ben Simmons who finalizes the last details of his recovery and, if it fits well, it can be a gold mine for Steve Nash’s team.
With Kyrie and Durant, anything is possible: the point guard averages 28 points in his 20 games played and the forward is almost above 30. The ability to bounce the ball playmakercreate your own shots, step back to get enough space or dribbling in transition are talents he’s historically good at. Durant, a natural wonder, a unique talent like no other, has physical qualities that make him simply unstoppable, he’s a spectacular shooter, he towers over his defenders and is virtually indefensible when he’s on a roll. In the end, any team that wants to eliminate the Nets will have to win at least 4 games out of 7.. And that is a very big slab against a team that came with a streak of 6 wins in the last 7 games to their visit to Memphis.
So far the streak has come, of course. The Grizzlies are no joke despite not entering the bets and they do nothing more than certify it. Game after game, night after night, with or without Ja Morant, Taylor Jenkins’ team has reached 50 wins for the first time since 2015, has established itself in second place in the Western Conference only behind the unattainable Suns and they already show a radically superior strength to, for example, a Warriors who have gradually sunk in a season that has become too long for them. Quite the opposite of the Grizzlies, with strong legs and an undaunted, immovable spirit. With an extraordinary ability to pass over everyone. And that, if there are seconds left, they will face a rival in the first round that will be between Clippers, Wolves and Nuggets. A series that promises to be interesting… or in which the Grizzlies will do what they’ve been doing all year: overwhelm their rivals.
Kyrie and Durant, 78 points without luck
The collective Grizzlies prevailed over the individuality of the Nets in Memphis. The visitors were missing LaMarcus Aldridge (who has not played since March 6) and, above all, Seth Curry, the shooter achieved in the transfer that brought James Harden to the Sixers, a man who is transfer meat but always provokes longing after his departure and that he is an ideal piece to give air to the double defenses that Kyrie and Durant receive, has more pieces than an aging Patty Mills and represents an ideal figure in the absence of the injured Joe Harris. Without him, the Nets’ attack suffered enough for the Grizzlies to win by many points: 40 and 36 in the first two quarters, 132 at the end. The locals only had problems in the third period, when the Nets turned the light around and scored 40 points, 25 of their spectacular dynamic duo. The reaction was commendable in the final 12 minutes: 29-16, a suffocating defense and a total absence of answers from a man with little slate like Nashwho was entrusted without luck to Durant (1 of 5 in shots in this quarter) and even Kyrie who scored 10, but it was not enough.
Irving went to 43 points and Durant to 35, 78 in total in a new unprecedented individual exhibition. But nothing else worked for them other than what has to work for them to, of course, win the ring.. That is where the Nets will be, in the nuances, in the talent of their stars and in their ability to resist until the end alone or, at least, minimally accompanied. And what may be enough for the final phase was not enough against the Grizzlies: 21 points from Dillon Brooks, 23 from Desmond Bane, 23 from De’Anthony Melton, 16 from Tyus Jones (with 10 assists), 14 (with 10 rebounds). ) by Brandon Clarke, 10 by Kyle Anderson and 7+11+5 by an omnipresent Steve Adams who has made us forget a man who really liked Jonas Valanciunas. In other words: The Grizzlies are candidates. There are those who are closer to the ring. Others, less. But candidates are. They have earned it.