Ever since James Harden joined the team and the Nets have gotten the big 3 they envisioned at the beginning of the year, things have been up and down.
Their trio of stars have only played seven of a possible 17 games together. They also haven’t really figured this defense thing out, either. Despite all of that, though, they’ve proven themselves to be a legitimate title contender.
They’ve been straight up dominating Western Conference teams. Their win against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday — without both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving — showcased that dominance again.
The Nets were down by as many as 24 points and came roaring back behind 38 points from James Harden, who hit a 3-pointer with just under 30 seconds left in the game to give the Nets their first and final lead.
JAMES HARDEN vs SUNS🔥
38 PTS
14/22 FG
11 AST
7 REBNets outscored the Suns 40-24 in the 4th quarter without KD & Kyrie! pic.twitter.com/3Rhzx6FURz
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 17, 2021
The Nets are now a cool 8-3 against the Western Conference this season. Not only that, but they’re also 6-0 against the West’s playoff teams this year, according to ESPN’s Marc Spears.
Brooklyn has won six straight games versus the Western Conference opponents, improving to 8-3 vs. West teams this season (6-0 vs. West teams currently in playoff position). pic.twitter.com/7PnCYG1HGe
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 17, 2021
They’ve got impressive wins over the Warriors, Clippers, Jazz, Nuggets and , now, the Suns. They’ve still got a lot to prove as a team, but one thing is clear. Against the best of the best in the NBA they’ve proven to be dominant.
They’ll have to prove it again in a few days with their first matchup against the Lakers. That’s going to be fun.
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