The Brooklyn Nets entered the 2021/22 season as heavy favorites to win the NBA Championship. However, after a mixed start, many are starting to question the team, mainly the absence of Kyrie Irving. ESPN’s Max Kellerman believes that the Nets early season form shows that Kyrie is the crucial link that helped make this team so good.
Kellerman spoke on ESPN’s ‘KJM’ show and highlighted Kyrie being the glue of the team last season and him being the missing ingredient so far in this season.
“Alot of people noticed with Boston. Without Kyrie they seemed to be at least as good as they were with him. Hold on. You’re as good as Kyrie is, you lose a player like that and if anything you get a little better. You gotta point out now. With Kyrie last year, without KD, just Kyrie & Harden they were killing the game. Without Harden, KD & Kyrie were smashing the Bucks. Kyrie does seem to be the missing ingredient on this team.”
Max Kellerman
Kyrie Irving is currently unable to play with the Nets because he has not yet got a Covid-19 vaccine. James Harden appears way off his game, and the team feels very disjointed compared to last season. Max Kellerman thinks that this is all down to the absence of Irving.
“What about the fact that Kyrie has said publicly. KD is the first scorer he’s ever played with where he could defer because he’s even better than him. When he can play with KD, he can be a point guard. With Harden, he gave Harden the ball and said you’re the point guard. So that free’s up Kyrie to play loose and just be himself.”
Max Kellerman
James Harden’s struggles without Kyrie Irving
The absence of Kyrie Irving has been a big issue for James Harden, and the stats don’t lie.
- 3 straight games scoring 15 points or fewer (longest streak since 2012)
- 8 straight games with fewer than 5 free throw attempts (longest streak since 2011)
- 16.6 PPG, fewest through five games since 2011/12
Harden is facing several changes this season, and he’s arguably in the worst form of his career. Max Kellerman believes that the former MVP’s problems are at least threefold.
“There are at least three layers with Harden. He hasn’t really played pick-up and gotten ready because he’s rehabing. So he’s not where he wants to be. Two, we mentioned Kyrie’s absence and how he’s like the glue on this team. Now three, they had [Mike] D’Antoni on the bench last year. D’Antoni and Harden can roll out of bed, there’s the ball we know how to do this. D’Antoni is not there this year. How much of an impact is that having on Harden.”
Max Kellerman
There is severe pressure on Steve Nash to prove himself as a coach, now that he is without one of the most experienced coaches in the league beside him on the bench. James Harden is enduring one of the most challenging periods of his career. If these struggles continue, surely Kyrie Irving will cop on, get the vaccine and return to doing what he does best�playing basketball!
