The Brooklyn Nets expected to have a cakewalk through the Eastern Conference this season. Then Kyrie Irving wasn't eligible to play at home, James Harden was a shell of himself, and Kevin Durant got hurt.
But despite all the setbacks, the ups-and-downs, and a terrible stretch of the season, the Nets still made it to the play-in tournament. Talent-wise, they're still one of the best teams in the world, yet they haven't proved it.
Even so, having Durant and Irving at full strength is reason enough to look out for Steve Nash's team. And, per Charles Barkley, that's why they should still be favored to make the NBA Finals despite their low seeding.
NBA News: Charles Barkley Says The Nets Can Still Come Out Of The East
“Brooklyn to me, in every series… Brooklyn are going to have the two best players in every series," Barkley said. "They are gonna have the two best players in every series. They play Miami, they have the two best players on their team."
"Other than Giannis, Embiid, and Tatum, they’re going to have the two best players in every series. They got a chance," Barkley continued. "I would not want to play Brooklyn personally because they’re the best… That Brooklyn team is scary. Especially with Drummond coming off the bench. Kyrie and Kevin are the two. In my opinion, Giannis is the best player in the league. But the two best players, unstoppable in 1 on 1 situations in the NBA today are Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. They can single-handedly win 4 games out of 7.”
Well, sometimes basketball is that simple. The playoffs are a different animal than the regular season, and a team getting hot at the right time could go to great lengths. They've been mediocre defensively and inconsistent offensively all year long, but you still can't sleep on them.
