Showdown at the Barclay Corral. The team that knocked the Brooklyn Nets out of the 2021 NBA playoffs, and then went on to win the championship are coming to town. Kevin Durant and yes, he's eligible, Kyrie Irving will battle Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday in a game that could even be a first-round preview in a few weeks. How will the east be won?
There's some chilling history here too. Former Nets star James Harden aggravated a vicious hamstring injury in the first moments of that 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals matchup. He gutted out a few games but but was ultimately too injured to help much. That's actually big part of why he's no longer a Net also. It's difficult to imagine him being traded this year if they won a chip last season. Kyrie got injured in that series too. These are some tough basketball memories for the Brooklyn Brigade.
Irving didn't do much to hide the fact he feels a certain kind of way about that moment he landed on Giannis' foot.
“In the playoffs last year, James (Harden) goes out,” Irving said back in Jan. “And then, I’m going up for a shot and Giannis comes over and his foot just happens to be in the way?”
So perhaps it's a good thing that Kevin Durant handled all of the questions about slowing down The Greek Freak after the Nets polished off the surprisingly frisky Detroit Pistons Tuesday, 130-123.
In that one Durant led all scorers with 41 points and five assists. He also made life difficult for the Pistons, totaling three rejections. But after the game, he gave a preview for how the Nets plan to slow down Giannis. Or at least he previewed their mindset that they don't really expect to slow him down much at all.
What is the key to slowing Giannis down, Durant was asked.
“I mean, slowing him down, what you mean by that?” Durant asked for clarification.
There was a moment of suspense when we wondered if he was going to talk some smack or dish out some praise. Remember, it wasn't long ago that KDTrey listed Joel Embiid, DeMar DeRozan, and Ja Morant as his top MVP candidates. He notably did not include Freak or Nikol Jokic in that rank. Would he go a step further this time and actually throw shade?
But alas, he did not. Perhaps he thought to himself, there is simply no way to do slow down, so what on earth could this reporter mean? The reporter clarified: like “…so he doesn't go off.”
“I mean, he's one of those players that establish himself that like, his points are almost absolute like, guarantee,” Durant praised. “You know what I'm saying?” the former 2014 MVP asked with a laugh. “It's about playing physical, making it as tough as you can and also from top to bottom their whole team, they got a great team that play well off each other, with continuity so it's much more than Giannis. But his points, they're gonna happen, so you just gotta make 'em as tough as possible,” said the back-to-back NBA Finals MVP. That distinction, KD can boast (not that he would), is one Giannis is now gunning for.
"He's one of those players that establishes himself that like his points are almost absolute like guarantee."
-Kevin Durant talks about "limiting" Giannis. pic.twitter.com/3MLO3GL2qg
— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) March 30, 2022
The Bucks are 47-28, and sit just a half game behind the East's top seed, the Miami Heat. With a win in Brooklyn next game, they could overtake Jimmy Butler and co. while also remaining in play as a possible host for the Nets in round one. Nets fans might feel a bit torn. On the one hand, you'd have to love some sweet revenge getting to knock off the champs in the first round, this time with a healthy Irving. It wasn't long ago he went into Milwaukee without the services of his running mate and hung 38 on the Deer he clearly did not fear.
On the other hand, the Miami Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers seem like softer opponents right now. Wouldn't it be better to delay facing the toughest opponent in order to gain some continuity with Irving out there full time, and possibly even buy time for Ben Simmons to get back out there? Although that dream feels less likely by the day.
Reporter: "Has Ben [Simmons] been able to do anything more the last few days?"
Steve Nash: "no."
reporter: has he had another MRI, we know he had one a few weeks ago, has he had any more?
Nash: "I don't believe so, no."
— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) March 29, 2022
Milwaukee is playing as well as anyone in the East, especially now that Robert Williams, the rim-running defensive specialist in Boston, has a meniscus injury.
How the East was won? The Wild Wild East. All of our spaghetti western metaphors are getting flipped with how stacked the East has been this year. But if Giannis' points are basically an absolute guarantee, Durant's are a mortal lock and Kyrie is the quickest draw in the land… or something.
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