Written By: Jovan Popovic
Edited By: Nabil Haider
Had someone said five years ago that Harden would reunite with Durant, it would have been a scary thought. Then, they go onto say Kyrie Irving would be on that team as well. Now it’s a crazy super team… except they’re not done. Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan would also join the Nets, and they might not be done yet. Super team? Absolutely. Best offensive team of all time? Quite possibly. League champions? Nope.
If someone five years ago said that the Nets starting lineup would contain Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan, one would assume they are automatic champions. One would also assume that a 36 year old LeBron James wouldn’t be relevant any longer, possibly even having retired. Both of those assumptions would end up incorrect.
It’s not that the Nets aren’t an incredible team, it’s that they will eventually have to face up against arguably the greatest player to ever play the game. The King has outwitted father time year after year, and could very well be the league MVP once again in 2021, leading his team back to the finals for the tenth time in the last eleven years. It may not look like it coming out of the all-star break, but the Lakers are still the team to beat, regardless of the band of all stars assembling in Brooklyn.
Looking back, one might reminisce about the years worth of Warriors-Cavaliers finals matchups, where LeBron only managed to take one championship home. However, those Cavaliers are not the same as these Lakers, and those Warriors are far from the same as this year's hopeful usurpers. The Lakers not only have LeBron, but they have Anthony Davis, who is possibly the best player to ever play alongside the King. Alongside the best duo in the league, they have Dennis Schröder and Montrezl Harrell, the winner, and runner up in last year's sixth man award race. Marc Gasol might not be what he once was, but he is still a three time all-star, a former defensive player of the year, and a world champion. He has the experiences needed to still be a huge contributor to the team despite his declining skill set. On top of all that, there is still the greatest player of all time: Alex Caruso.
Comparing the 2021 Lakers to the 2020 Lakers, many could argue that this roster isn’t as good as it was a year ago, and these skeptics may be right. However, when you’re the best team in the world, and by a wide margin, there is room for decrease. If the Nets are removed from the NBA, there is nobody even close to the Lakers level right now. Clippers? Maybe if they go on a streak. Jazz? Regular season team. Knicks? Yes, that’s a joke.
Now throw the Nets back into the ring, and there is some competition.
The biggest glaring issue in question for the Nets is undoubtedly their defense. With Durant, Harden, and Irving, they are an offensive powerhouse, but is a big offense enough? The answer is no.
The Lakers scoring stems from two major stars, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis. It is safe to assume that Durant and James defend each other being their positions, similarities, and the lack of better options. Looking at their career playoff head-to-head numbers, James leads Durant in points, assists, rebounds, and steals. Durant is frequently said to have “carried Curry to his rings”, which is interesting because in their last finals matchup in 2018, James averaged 34 PPG while Durant averaged 28.8 PPG. James also shot for a higher field goal percentage in the series.
LeBron may have the upper hand in this individual matchup, but there are still 14 other players on each team. The Nets might round out as a better team, but the biggest difference comes in the form of Anthony Davis. Once Durant is occupied by LeBron, who is left to guard AD? DeAndre Jordan, who hasn’t averaged 2.0+ blocks per game since 2016? Jordan also has his lowest win share percentage (per 48) since 2011, and his lowest defensive win share since his rookie year in 2009? Maybe Jeff Green would be better? Yes, the 34 year old 6’8 forward who's biggest achievement was making the 2007-2008 all-rookie team. There aren't any other options...
After having traded away Jarrett Allen to Cleveland in the James Harden deal, the Nets have left a huge area exposed, and that is their ability to defend elite bigs like Anthony Davis. Davis eats away at teams with good bigs, like the Heat and the Jazz, nevermind teams who struggle at the center position. The potential is huge for him to break out in a big way and be the difference between a finals win or loss. On the flip side, Davis won’t have to wear himself out on the defensive end either, and it will be the job of Wesley Matthews (a player specifically brought in to be a 3 & D specialist), and KCP (another 3 & D specialist) to defend Harden and Kyrie. If they can contain them to less than 30 points each, the Lakers might just have the upper hand.
There are many places where things could go wrong for either team, but the Lakers seem to stack up really well against the Nets. If Kyle Kuzma and Dennis Schröder can help shoulder the load offensively for the Lakers, it would become difficult to envision any other team emerging victorious come July. There is a reason the Lakers won the title in 2020, and it shouldn’t be of any surprise when they do it again this year.
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