Photo via Brooklyn Nets/Facebook
Brooklyn Nets
When the new pro basketball season opens Oct. 19, all eyes will be on Milwaukee, where the NBA’s acknowledged best—the champion Bucks and the star-studded Brooklyn Nets—will stage a national television rematch of last season’s tight, seven-game playoffs in which the locals eked out a win.
Yes, Bucks fans, your team (representing my beloved hometown) is the current king of the hill. Yes, your team upset my favored Nets team last June in a controversial, hard-fought second round series. Enjoy the memory while you can.
So, with apologies, as a Milwaukee native, to countless local Bucks’ boosters (including many friends), here’s why:
Everyone knows the Bucks mainly prevailed due to injuries to two of the Nets best-ever BIG 3—Kyrie Irving and James (“The Beard”) Harden. Only the dynamic, unstoppable Kevin Durant was available for the entire seven games. And he was great.
Most troubling, Irving—a high-scoring, ball-handling wizard—rolled his left ankle in game four landing on the out-stretched foot of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who clearly undercut him. NBA rules prohibit this dangerous act, but no foul was called. As a result, Irving was sidelined for the rest of the series.
Almost as bad, Harden—playmaking wizard and former league scoring champion—re-injured his strained hamstring just 43 seconds into the first game and didn’t return until game five, to essentially play on one leg.
Entering that series, experts made my other-worldly Nets clear favorites to bring home the NBA bacon in an expected, slam-bang seven games or less at the Fiserv Forum and Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
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But instead of my hometown Bucks, I rooted for the Nets. I chose them after arriving in New York in the early 1970s—led by the awesome Julius (Dr. J) Erving in their high-flying ABA days—rather than the over-hyped NBA Knickerbockers. That’s the way it sometimes goes in big-time sports.
On Paper, Unbeatable
Last season’s Eastern Conference second-seeded Nets, coached by Hall of Famer Steve Nash, handily handled the Boston Celtics 4-1 in the first round. On paper, led by the most celebrated BIG 3 in pro hoops history, they seemed unbeatable.
The 6-11 Durant—arguably the best player in the world—had averaged 27.2 points while overcoming a hamstring strain and Covid-19 health and safety protocols that cost him 37 games. Even Giannis calls him the best.
The dazzling 6-2 Irving hit more than 40 points in a number of games, averaged 26.9, and became the first 50-40-90 player in NBA history—50-percent shooting, 40-percent on 3-pointers and 90-percent on free throws.
The 6-5 Harden had led the NBA in scoring several times and, even missing 28 games with his hamstring injury, averaged 24-5 points a game and led the NBA in assists. The Nets BIG 3 was augmented by Joe Harris (NBA leader in 3-pointers at 47.4-percent), Blake Griffin, Bruce Brown, Landry Shamet, Nicolas Claxton, Tyler Johnson, DeAndre Jordan, and injured Jeff Green.
Best in League
Yet, my talented, third-seeded hometown Bucks – coach by Mike Budenholzer – easily swept the tough Miami Heat (4-0) in the first round. And notwithstanding the awesome Nets, some experts felt the Bucks were the best team in the league.
As Bucks’ fans boasted, their team was led by dynamic 6-11 Antetokounmpo—the Greek Freak—who averaged 28.1-points and 13.7 rebounds per-game in the season. And he came through, being named the series Most Valuable Player.
Despite playing without injured Donte DiVincenzo, they still were very deep—including former Net Brook Lopez, Jrue Holliday, Khris Middleton, Brynn Forbes, Pat Connaughton, Bobby Portis and P.J. Tucker. Indeed, the Bucks were formidable.
In the end, overcoming 48 and 49-point games by Durant, Milwaukee prevailed, clinching the Brooklyn series in a thrilling, overtime game seven. Then they defeated the Phoenix Suns and were crowned NBA champions. But hey, that was then and this is now.
Entering the 2021-22 season on Oct. 19, I can’t personally lose. I love my Milwaukee hometown and if the Bucks win on national TV, I’ll be happy and proud. But if my adopted Brooklyn Nets win, I’ll be even happier. That’s the way it sometimes goes in big-time sports.
