"You know who cares? Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, because they're tired of getting grief from everybody" - NBA insider reflects on Brooklyn Nets' collective mindset as they battle "the team under the most pressure" tag
Brooklyn Nets’ superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will come under fire if they fail to win a championship in the upcoming season. The duo were outclassed by a mature Boston Celtics unit in the first-round of the playoffs.last season.
Many questions were raised after the Brooklyn Nets failed to deliver despite having two of the best offensive players on their roster. Kyrie Irving recently announced his decision to run it back with Durant and the Nets, and that has immediately improved the team’s odds for the title race.
The Brooklyn Nets have gone three seasons without a title, despite stacked rosters. However, ESPN’s Freddie Coleman was on “First Take,” and claimed Irving and Durant will pay more attention, as he said:
“You know who cares? Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, because they're tired of getting grief from everybody. They really are. They're going to care of that because, let them not win a championship and they got to hear it from you [Tim Legler], [and] Stephen. A Smith.”
Durant and Irving had their ears full throughout their short playoff run, as they could not catch a break against the Boston Celtics. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving averaged 26.3 points and 21.3 points, respectively, while Durant shot just 38.6% from the field and Irving 44.4%.
The Brooklyn Nets were not exactly losing by huge margins, but their over dependency on the duo left them searching for offense.
Durant was specifically targeted for becoming a non-factor, with questions raised about his legacy as well. Coleman went on to highlight the intent Durant will come out with, and said:
“Kevin Durant might have eight burner accounts to come back at you guys. They clearly will pay attention.”
Durant has been actively calling out fans and analysts who, according to him, are speaking out of turn towards him. That gives more credence to Freddie Coleman’s comments.
Brooklyn Nets’ roster is still among the top contenders
Kyrie Irving’s player option has created a lot of buzz over the past few weeks, given that him leaving meant the Brooklyn Nets would lose Durant as well. Irving has been linked to multiple franchises, with the LA Lakers rumor creating the most interest. However, the superstar point guard's decidsion to exercise his player option has put the Brooklyn Nets back on top.
We asked Kyrie if he still wanted to be a Brooklyn Net 👀 https://t.co/QYYDajosJW
The Nets do not have a draft pick to show for, but on paper they’re a loaded roster. The Ben Simmons fit has been a talking point, with the consensus being optimistic about it. Irving and Durant have played just 44 games together in their time with the Nets, and given they’re both healthy to start the upcoming season – expectations are high.