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The showdown of the young NBA season arrives in Brooklyn tonight, complete with star power, missing star power and potential glances toward the NBA Finals.
Both the Nets and Warriors will tell you it is far too soon to look that far ahead. Kevin Durant will tell you he does not want to look behind, either, though he will be forced to when Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are on the opposing bench.
Back in the summer of 2019, Durant could not imagine the trajectory of a Nets career that began because he and Kyrie Irving wanted to join forces. By the time Durant returned from a ruptured Achilles at the start of last season, Irving’s injuries were bouncing the point guard in and out of the lineup; James Harden, acquired to form their Big 3, dealt with a hamstring strain that limited him in last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals. They lost to the Bucks, which is the last time Durant played with the unvaccinated Irving.
