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The Golden State Warriors will finally match up against a Brooklyn Nets side that is now bannered by its newly-formed trio on Saturday night. With James Harden now on their corner, head coach Steve Nash's squad is expected to come out firing once again as they look to score another win at the expense of the Warriors this season.
Both teams already faced off back on Dec. 22 in Brooklyn for the first regular game of the season. The Nets were in command for the entirety of the game as they convincingly led from start to finish. Kevin Durant headlined his team's efforts with 22 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving registered 26 points, four rebounds, and four assists while Caris LeVert added 20 points, nine rebounds, and five assists for the Nets. The New York-based squad eventually ran away with a 125-99 victory to nab its first win with both Kevin Durant and Irving at the helm.
Since then, the dynamics of the two teams have undergone major revamps. The Warriors lost Marquesse Chriss to a season-ending injury in his right leg. Rookie James Wiseman remains to be ruled out due to a sprain in his left wrist while Kevon Looney continues to deal with a left ankle sprain.
On the other hand, Nets swingman Spencer Dinwiddie suffered a season-ending torn ACL injury back in January. Over a week later, a couple of budding stars in Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen were traded to the Indiana Pacers and the Cleveland Cavaliers for a package to acquire the services of Harden.
Despite landing the 2018 NBA MVP, the Nets went off to a rocky start with Harden as a bevy of injuries hindered their stars from developing their chemistry right from the get-go. Kevin Durant also had to miss some games due to the league's health and safety protocols in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite Durant's absence in the Warriors' most recent game against the Indiana Pacers, Irving stepped up and produced 35 points, four rebounds, and eight assists. Harden added a double-double performance of 19 points and 11 rebounds to lift the Nets to a 104-94 victory.
The Warriors will certainly face a tall task of beating the Nets, with Kevin Durant back to see action against his former team. Irving is expected to produce his usual numbers while Harden has given the Nets a major boost on offense as he is currently averaging 23.9 points on 46.5% shooting from the field.
The newly-formed trio of the Nets is also looking to make a statement as they go up against a Warriors side that has been mainly relying on the massive production of their main man in Stephen Curry as of late.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will have to get creative if he wants to limit a high-octane Nets offense bannered by their trio of star players on the floor. It will be a surprise if the Warriors are lucky enough to catch a bad game from a loaded Nets offense. Kevin Durant and the rest of the Nets will seek their 16th win of the season when they visit the Warriors on their home floor on Feb. 13.
