Brooklyn Nets star point guard Kyrie Irving set off a media firestorm this week after he admitted his team lacked the pieces to compete with the top Eastern Conference contenders.

Following a string of losses to rival teams in the east, along with an upcoming schedule featuring rematches with Atlantic Division foe Philadelphia 76ers, Irving has demonstrated pessimism on the Nets. For what it's worth, the team is woefully underperforming, under .500 and gripping to the last playoff spot in the conference.

Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard CJ McCollum reacted indifferently to Irving's comments and asserted that stories are written practically any time the former Boston Celtics All-Star opens his mouth.

Much was made of Kyrie Irving's failure to recognize third-year center Jarrett Allen when listing his teammates in his initial tirade. McCollum, however, dismissed the perceived slight at Allen by Irving, saying the one-time NBA champion simply did not want to list every player on the Nets' roster.

By this point of the season, the Nets are also sorely missing two-time Finals MVP forward Kevin Durant, who was acquired in the offseason in a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors.

Durant is recovering from an Achilles tear suffered during the 2019 NBA Finals and is more than likely to miss the entire 2019-20 season. Conditional to Irving's arrival in Brooklyn was Durant coming along (and, to a lesser extent, veteran center DeAndre Jordan). Without Durant and given Irving's prolonged absence due to injury, the Nets by now are feeling torn by being just outside the competitiveness of the Eastern Conference.