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The Brooklyn Nets are atop the East ahead of their Christmas Day tilt against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. James Harden, Patty Mills and some role players will try to keep up the team's road-warrior identity. But that has not stopped fans from wondering about every aspect of how Kyrie Irving's return will affect this team.
Irving, of course, is ineligible to play basketball in New York City because of his not being vaccinated. But because of the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 Omicron variant–which has put up to 10 Nets in health and safety protocols recently–the team made the controversial decision to let the seven-time All-Star ramp up and appear in road games.
Unfortunately, as soon as they called him up, he tested positive for COVID-19. But when he's no longer testing positive, he'll be able to suit up away from Barclays. So what has he been up to? It has to be a bit of adjustment right?
Coach Steve Nash gave us an update, speaking to reporters on Christmas Day before the Nets take on the Lakers.
“I'm not sure the day-to-day of how he's handling quarantine,” admitted Nash. “But I know once he comes out of protocols, he'll definitely be able to start training, start ramping up, being available for road games. So it's really waiting for him to clear and then getting him to a program of regaining kind of that fitness and basketball conditioning.
“He has obviously worked out and been on the court throughout his absence but its different from being in a gym by yourself to playing in an NBA game. So he's got to go through that process as well, but he's an incredible player and kind of a quick adaptor if there is any so I think he'll handle that pretty well.”
So then there's the crazy question on many fans' minds. If the team can't have Kyrie around for home games in Brooklyn at Barclays center, will they even covet homecourt advantage? It's better to have the big three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden on the road than just KD and The Beard at home, isn't it? Is there a world where the team would actually prefer to be a five seed than a one seed to ensure they have their big three available for four games every playoff series?
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One would think this team will push for homecourt with less urgency as some other teams now. To that point, here's what Steve Nash had to say. Would he entertain the idea of not gunning for home court?
"I don't think that we can ever take that type of approach…So home, away I think is kind of putting the cart before the horse…."
-Nets Steve Nash was asked if he wants home court with Kyrie Irving only eligible for road games or if he'd prefer to not have it.
— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) December 26, 2021
“I don't think that we can ever take that type of approach,” the Nets coach added. “One I think our mandate is to improve throughout the season so we're process driven. Trying to continue to grow, and learn, form an identity, cohesion. We want to win games and finishing first in the east would be a great bonus for all that effort but that's secondary to us continuing trying to get better. So home, away I think is kind of putting the cart before the horse.
“We just gotta focus on what we do and wherever we finish is in many ways relying on a bit of luck and how hard and how diligent we are with our process.”
That sounds like it's Nash for “we're not going to push too hard for home court, and we're not going to avoid it, we're focused on playing our best basketball and balancing that goal with staying healthy.”
For now, we can tell the Nets are beginning to think about more and more scenarios and ways Irving can help them once he's ready to roll.
