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The Brooklyn Nets closed out their first-round series in five games with a 123-109 win against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday at the Barclays Center. Brooklyn’s big three of James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant put on a clinic in the final matchup, scoring a combined 83 points to advance to the second round, where they will face off against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Since the blockbuster trade for Harden back in January, the Nets’ big three has been a topic of discussion for league personnel and fans around the world, and one thing that always seems to come up is the comparison to the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors team. Including having a two-time Finals MVP in KD, there are a lot of similarities between the two teams. But according to three-time NBA Champion Draymond Green who was a member of that dynamic Warriors squad, there is a difference between the two clubs.
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Draymond Explains the Different Between Nets & Warriors
“I think it’s a lot different,” Green said during a recent appearance on Inside the NBA via Landon Buford. “I think when you look at Steph, K, and Klay, I think the two best shooters that we have ever seen, along with the greatest scorer we’ve ever seen.”
“These guys [The Brooklyn Nets] are more do it yourself, whereas those guys could do it themselves with Klay, Steph, and KD, but they lean on each other more, due to our system and ball movement,” Green continued. “Whereas these guys it’s space, you attack, they come and help and now you kick it to the shooter, so I think it’s more of a different method.”
Draymond Green breaks down the difference between @warriors Championship Big 3 vs @BrooklynNets Big 3
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Draymond Explains the Different Between Nets & Warriors
Hall of Famer Charles Barkley also added his two cents in about the Brooklyn Nets roster. While it is clear that this team has three of the greatest offensive talents to ever pick up a basketball, there is no clear-cut best player, but according to Barkley there is one who is the most important.
“James Harden is the most important one of those ‘Big 3.’ No disrespect to Kyrie or KD, they’re great players but they don’t make the guys around them better,” Barkley said Tuesday on Inside the NBA. “They’re one on one guys that’s what we just said. Therefore, James Harden is gonna get everybody involved, that is why I think he’s the most important one.”
“He makes everybody around him better, he wants to pass the ball I think most of the time, those other two guys they’re gonna score individually, but they’re only gonna get their numbers,” Barkley continued. “James Harden to me is the key because he’s gonna get Joe Harris involved, He’s gonna get Blake involved, he’s gonna get Claxton involved, he’s the most important piece in my opinion.”
The numbers agree with Draymond on this one. The Nets’ possessions rating was 10.9 this season, a greater total than the 2018 Warriors had with only 6.4. Subsequently, the Nets of 2018 had a higher possession rating than the Warriors had with 8.4. This speaks to the former Defensive Player of the Year’s statement about the Warriors’ system and ability to swing the ball better than this season’s Brooklyn team. However, no comparisons can really be made until the Nets secure at least one NBA title.
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