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The Brooklyn Nets' stars have downplayed many of the contests we fans would call “big games” so far this season. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving mostly did the same again ahead of tonight's matchup vs. Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. But because these two teams made a monster trade at the deadline, there's certainly a lot more juice to this one than your average regular season meet up of Eastern Conference powerhouses.
3 Things to Watch for in Ben Simmons' Return to Philadelphia vs. Sixers
3) Kevin Durant vs. Joel Embiid
In the first couple matchups this season when Durant played the Sixers, he and Joel Embiid took turns waving each other off the court after wins.
KD waved the Sixers off after a big victory in December:
Embiid clearly bookmarked the memory and got revenge a couple weeks later.
https://twitter.com/JosephJ58903873/status/1476931586964832257?s=20&t=KMHVUx00ybmigMA3xmNcPA
Two of the best players in the league and neither are shy? Yeah we'll keep our eyes on that one:
Durant and Embiid jaw’ing in the final moments as the 76ers defeat the Nets pic.twitter.com/wd4lcAd2oh
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) December 31, 2021
2) Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving vs. James Harden
While we may get some jawing between KD and Embiid, we'll be watching the interaction between the Nets duo and James Harden even more closely.
Durant and Harden were teammates in Oklahoma City back in the day. They had another shot to contend for a title in Brooklyn. The reports make it sound like things flew off the rails beginning with training camp when Kyrie Irving refused to get vaccinated and it cost him the entire first portion of the season. When Irving returned as a part-time player, it seemed to cause a KD-Kyrie vs. Harden faction in what became a tense and uncomfortable locker room.
Many have accused Harden of quitting on the Nets. We heard there was a “cold war” in that locker room before this trade.
And things seemed pretty awkward when Durant was selecting his All-Star team and avoiding The Beard.
After the team's most recent road win vs. LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets, KD said “I don't think it'll be any different than a regular game.” But if you believe that, then we at @NetsNationCP have a Brooklyn Bridge to sell you.
"I wish him nothing but peace and love, we have a great friendship, but it didn't work out. Wish things could have been communicated better for all of us as men but hey, no hard feelings here with me."
-Kyrie Irving's on how things ended with his James Harden #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/BYpHjJOnLW
— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) March 9, 2022
Kyrie Irving says he'll still remain friends with Harden but he thinks they “as men” could have communicated better.
Gear up. Durant may say he understands Harden's reason for leaving. But you know Slim Reaper would love nothing more than to prove to Harden that if he left because he thought he had better title odds in Philly, he's got another thing coming if they face Brooklyn these playoffs.
1) Sixers fans vs. Ben Simmons
The Nets newest All-Star still has no timetable for return still dealing with a back flare up. But the Nets apparently want him to get used to the environment he'll face when his former fanbase lets him know they feel a certain way about his forcing his way out of town.
Steve Nash said he’s open to conversation if Ben Simmons needs it ahead of his return to Philly. Thinks it’s good for him to get some of the heckling out of the way even though he’s not playing.
— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) March 8, 2022
Simmons may also be looking to get some money back from his former team by sitting on the sidelines and enduring the chants and boos.
Kevin Durant had to visit Oklahoma after he signed with the Golden State Warriors. His former fanbase chanted “cupcake” at him, implying he was soft for joining a super team that beat his Thunder those playoffs. And he shared his feelings on fans with sh—y lives heckling players.
"Part of the experience of coming to an NBA game, is to heckle, some people don't even enjoy basketball … their lives are so sh–ty they get to just aim it at other people….Ben [Simmons] understands that…."
–#Nets star Kevin Durant on a likely hostile environment in Philly pic.twitter.com/cTyNmlt22L
— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) March 9, 2022
Simmons cited mental health as the reason he wasn't able to play in Philly. We'll be listening to see if a notoriously tough fanbase lets Simmons hear it. It's a pretty sensitive issue and there will be plenty of national coverage on the reception Simmons receives from the team that drafted him first overall in 2016.
There is going to be so much extra juice in what's often a chilly Wells Fargo Center for this one. We will most certainly be keeping our eye on all of these rivalries and storylines.
