5 reasons Brooklyn Nets can win 2021 NBA championship

4. Two stars who can take over at any point

Harden is expected to return this week. But let’s say the Nets still ease him into action early in the playoffs. That is not a problem at all, because both Irving and Durant can take over if the offense is struggling.

The Nets beat the Denver Nuggets over the weekend on a night when Harden was out and Harris only had 8 points. Durant finished with 33 and Irving had 31 to take down a tough Nuggets squad.

Either star could take over for any team they played on. Having both together on the court at the same time is almost unfair because you have two players who can create their own shot on any given possession. So it comes down to who wants to do that every single time down the floor.

Maybe Irving is toying with defenders and taking them to the basket nonstop. He can kick it out to Durant a few times and make a defense end up with no true plan of attack. In a playoff series, when defenses clamp down and offense devolves into isolations, that ability to get tough buckets matters,

These are two players averaging over 27 points per game on the same team. Either one having an off-night would likely still mean 15 points at a minimum.