PHOENIX — The Nets are one piece away from winning the NBA championship this season: That piece is a healthy Kevin Durant, en route to Brooklyn via standard shipping, set to arrive at Barclays Center in 14-21 business days.
Durant's absence, and his early return from MCL with a sprained left knee, is the silver lining as the Nets go 0-2 in their first two games of their five-game road trip.
The Nets came 10 points short, 121–111, in Game 2 against the league-best Phoenix Suns, after coming just four points short in Game 1 against the Warriors at The Bay.
Remember: It's without Durant, without sharpshooter Joe Harris, and without former All-Star Big Man LaMarcus Aldridge, who left the fourth quarter against the Warriors with a left ankle sprain.
Kyrie Irving and the Nets couldn't hold onto things in Phoenix on Tuesday night, losing for the fifth time in a row.
Kyrie Irving and the Nets couldn't hold onto things in Phoenix on Tuesday night, losing for the fifth time in a row. (Christian Peterson/Getty Images)
And with no moves Nets GM Sean Marks has up his sleeve as the February 10 NBA trade deadline and the upcoming buyout market of Giants looking to join a championship contender draws to a close.
Durant's absence should give the Nets reason to feel secure in his position, despite being increasingly free in the Eastern Conference standings. The Nets certainly need them—an extra backup point guard, a 3-and-D wing, and extra depth in the center position—but their biggest need has eluded them throughout the season.
A clean bill of health.
Any other addition, as proved in his performance against the Sun, is the icing on the cake.
That's because if the Nets aren't playing against LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo or Joel Embiid, they are in a position to be three of the best four players on the floor of all time. In Phoenix, it is undeniable that the Sons were a better-trained, deeper and more cohesive team. The proof was in the pudding: the sun affected players in every position and a rotation that only took eight or nine players to depth.
Devin Booker scored 35 points and Chris Paul added 20 points and 14 assists. The balance on the Phoenix roster — 3-and-D shooters and big man Deandre Ayton — opened the floor for the Suns' top dogs.
His depth also made a difference: Michal Bridges scored 27 points on just four missed shots, and Cam Johnson came off the bench and hit four fours for 16 points.
But that starpower and the Nets have a lot in common, almost gave the Nets the edge.
Kyrie Irving scored 26 points on 20 of 10 shooting from the field, and James Harden had an off game by his own measure: on 6-of-19 shooting from the field with 10 assists and four turnovers to go. 22 points.
The Nets are seeing their depth in real time: rookie forward Kessler Edwards stands as the best wing at Steve Nash's disposal. He scored 13 points, hit three fours and guarded nearly every Sons player to step on the floor. Blake Griffin also made a comeback from his poor shooting slump and scored 17 points off the bench, including two-six shoots from downtown.
Marx is responsible for sorting through the rest of the roster, and he should be getting plenty of inspiration after seeing a fully assembled Sun roster run away from victory on Tuesday night.
However, the Nets do not require a complete roster, and one can assume that they will have to work hard to find perfection given the paucity of cap space and the lack of players available in the market.
They really only need what they always need. They are championship favorites when their Big 3 is on the floor. As the defeat piles up, now with five losses in a row, the goal remains the same: to be the last team, and the Nets, if they are completely healthy, are still on pace to finish there.