Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
The Knicks share the city with the Brooklyn Nets’ Big 3, but they have not yet split the court in the two previous meetings – both are losing Knicks.
That is, until possibly Monday night at Barclays Center, when the Nets are all in danger of being sane and ready to face the Knicks as a trio. There is hardly a guarantee, but at least there is an opportunity.
After Knicks’ 44-point victory in Detroit on Saturday, Reggie Bullock and Julius Randle took the Zoom podium together after a 49-point combination.
Randle and Bullock delivered a targeted message across the Brooklyn Bridge when asked if they could finally watch the Nets’ Big 3 Monday.
“We have a Big 5,” said Bullock.
“A Big 15,” Randle remarked quickly.
“A Big 15,” continued Bullock. “We have a reasonably good team. We’re not really concerned about their Big 3. We know what kind of basketball we can play. We focus on our team and the game plan that the coach draws up. That’s all we focus on: the Knicks. “
Even with the Nets’ personal days and injuries, they are still hot as fire – leading the Eastern Conference at 3-3pm during Sunday’s Bulls game.
This is the season where the Nets are all-in on a championship, and they’ve even recently added former All-Stars Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge.
The Knicks? They signed a third string center Norvel Pelle, which already had an impact on their factory image in its debut. He went on to play with a dislocated right index finger to make a free throw and block two shots in the last two minutes of Saturday.
That’s the 2020-21 Knicks – no stars, but no warrior spirit. At least they have that one edge over KD, Harden and Kyrie’s Hollywood Nets.
“We’re worried about us,” said Randle, named an All-Star for the first time this season. “We have a whole team of guys. We try to play the right way, we play hard. We play with energy. We feel like we do, we have a chance to win against anyone. It’s not about them and who they do or don’t have. It’s about us competing at a high level every night. “
The Knicks have endured several injuries to the selection – mainly starting center Mitchell Robinson – because it does have depth.
The Big 15 indeed.
“It should be the mindset of every team,” said Bullock. “There are 15 players on the selection. With our team we have our leader, coach. We know how great we can be. That was our goal at the beginning of the year to compete and have fun with everyone. ”
Another key to the Knicks’ excellent 25-25 record is that their two best players, Randle and RJ Barrett, have been iron horses.
Randle missed a game. Barrett has played in all 50. Each of them has expelled from recent injuries – Randle with a bruise on the thigh and Barrett with an ankle sprain. That’s not the culture of the Nets.
Across the East River, Durant has only played 19 games this season due to a hamstring injury that followed his sabbatical from Achilles tendon surgery last season. Irving has used up many personal days and Harden recently hit the injury list with a hamstring.
If Durant folds on Monday, that would mean he would have played 20 out of 127 possible games in his two seasons with the Nets (including the bubble playoffs).
By contrast, Randle has played 112 of 115 games in his two seasons with the Knicks. But who counts in this new NBA?
Rookie coach Steve Nash’s culture is about being sustainable for the playoffs. Perhaps Tom Thibodeau’s culture of sustainability and chemistry developed during the regular season will harden them for the late season.
Bullock and Randle were part of a base five that had been stable for 42 games – whether the starting point was Robinson or Nerlens Noel.
“We know how talented they are,” said Thibodeau. ‘We will have to be ready. Even if one is out, they still have a lot of talent and have added more talent to their team. But we know that if we defend ourselves and keep our sales low, we are more than capable. “