Subscribe
Follow Us
The Brooklyn Nets are one of biggest the disappointments of the 2021-22 NBA season.
In what was expected to be the first full season of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving, all three have either missed significant time or are already gone from the roster. Harden was dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers at the trade deadline, while Durant was sidelined for six weeks with a sprained left knee and Irving has missed the vast majority of the season due to his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
All of that instability has led to the Nets tumbling down the standings, currently slotted for a berth in the play-in tournament. Should they pass through it, they have a few options for opponents, some of whom will pose a much tougher challenge for Durant, Irving and Brooklyn than the rest.
Let's look at the most favorable first-round matchups for the Nets in the 2022 NBA playoffs, ranked.
Most favorable Nets opponents in the first round, ranked
If there is one opponent the Nets do not want to see in the first round, it is the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Bucks have become somewhat of a nemesis of the Nets in the last two seasons. First, it was the Bucks that eliminated the Nets in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs last season in an instant-classic Game 7 at Barclays Centers. Durant hit a huge shot with seconds to go, but his foot was on the line and it was correctly ruled as a two-pointer, sending the game to an extra session instead of a last-second Brooklyn victory. The Bucks prevailed in overtime, ultimately winning the title.
Secondly, the Bucks have won three out of their four games against the Nets this season, including two sizeable blowouts. It really does not seem like the Nets would match up well with the current NBA champions.
The main reason why the Nets really do not match up well with the Bucks is their roster composition. The Bucks only own the league's 14th-best defensive rating right now, per NBA.com/stats, but have all the tools necessary to defend the Nets at the highest level possible.
For Kevin Durant, they have Giannis Antetokounmpo, former Defensive Player of the Year. For Kyrie Irving, they have Jrue Holiday, who might be the best one-on-one defender in the NBA. Don't discount the return of Brook Lopez, either, whose absence for most of the season contributed to Milwaukee underperforming defensively.
The Bucks have a ton of defensive tools. While the Nets could match them in a certain way, in an extended postseason series, Milwaukee's depth of two-way talent should be enough to fight off the Nets.
2. Miami Heat
Article Continues Below
After a strong first half of the season, the Heat have hit a rough patch since the All-Star break. Their record isn't even the biggest issue, as Miami has managed more wins than losses, but the manner of certain defeats has eroded confidence in this team's chances of getting back to the NBA Finals.
Thus, the Nets would be able to capitalize on a somewhat shaky form of the Heat coming into the playoffs. However, that is not the only reason why this would be a favorable matchup.
The main one is that the Heat really do not have an elite defender to hold Irving in check.
Jimmy Butler could do a ton of work on Durant, as he is a five-time All-Defense honoree, and he has PJ Tucker to take over for him so he does not have to fully concentrate on the defensive side of the ball. However, the primary defender on Irving would likely be Kyle Lowry, which is a mismatch. Irving is a crafty and rapid point guard, and while Lowry is not incredibly slow, he definitely cannot cope with Irving's speed and overall playmaking wiles.
The Heat would not be an easy postseason out, but they are definitely a more optimal first-round foe for the Nets than Milwaukee.
1. Philadelphia 76ers
This might be a controversial pick, but the Sixers would be an ideal opponent for the Nets—especially if Ben Simmons returns. According to recent reports, the Aussie forward could be back by the start of the playoffs, and that is why the Nets could have a great chance to surprise the nominally better Sixers.
It is important to mention that while this would be the most favorable matchup, that does not mean Brooklyn would be favorites over Philadelphia. However, being favored does not have to mean much, especially with the Nets serving as a much different type of seventh or eighth seed in the playoffs.
The main reason why the Sixers are a generally good matchup for the Nets is that Simmons can lock up James Harden, and the Sixers have no one to stop Durant. Of course, the Nets would have issues with Joel Embiid, but Harden is the main way the Sixers get the ball to Embiid in the middle, where he can dominate. On the other end of the court, the Sixers have a lot of bodies to throw at Durant, but every single one is a mismatch for the two-time Finals MVP.
Thus, while the Nets would be underdogs, they would likely most enjoy a first-round matchup versus the Sixers.
