Why the Brooklyn Nets Should be the Favorites to Win it All

Now, Harden has been incredible since joining the Nets. According to ESPN, “The Beard” is putting up 25.3 points per game, 11.2 assists per game, and 8.8 assists per game, with shooting percentage splits of 48.6/38.7/87.2. If it weren’t for his ugly breakup with the Rockets earlier this season, Harden would be a legitimate MVP candidate.

Nobody will argue that Harden has been nothing short of great since joining the Nets, both on the court and off it. The thing is, though, Harden has always been an incredible regular season player, but when the lights have shined brightest in the post-season, he has been one to struggle. This has lead fans and critics to ignore his regular season numbers and just reply to any Harden lovers by gurgitate the age-old argument: “Do it in the postseason.”

That argument has also been made against Kyrie Irving who hasn’t struggle nearly as much as Harden has in the playoffs, but Irving hasn’t put in great playoff performances over the past few years.

Of course, every basketball fan knows Irving as the author of one of the greatest shots in NBA history when he sunk a step-back three over Steph Curry in the final minutes of game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.

Irving’s had some more great playoff moments during his time in Cleveland, but since leaving the Cavs, he’s had a rocky go-around.

When he was in Boston, the Celtics made it all the way to the Eastern Conference finals and forced the LeBron lead Cavs to seven games before being eliminated, but Irving was injured for that entire playoff run.

The next year the Celtics got embarrassed in the second round of the playoffs to the Milwaukee Bucks. Irving completely coasted that series, and really hurt the C’s.

Then there was last season in which he missed the bubble playoffs because of injuries.