Is another 'What if' season looming for the Brooklyn Nets?

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets were the biggest “What If” story last season and it’s trending towards that direction again this season.

The Nets (31-29) fell 3.5 games behind the final guaranteed spot in the playoffs with 22 games left after the sixth seed Boston Celtics (35-26) crushed them, 129-106, Thursday night (Friday Manila time) at Barclays Center.

It was the second time in two weeks that the streaking Celtics embarrassed them at home in a nationally televised game. Last February 8, Boston raced to a 28-2 lead and never looked back in a wire-to-wire 126-91 victory.

In the rematch, Kevin Durant, Joe Harris, newly-acquired Ben Simmons and Goran Dragic were in street clothes while an unvaccinated Kyrie Irving couldn’t still attend home games. Those five can start for a title-contending team.

What the Celtics have beaten black and blue two in a row is a shell of the team expected to build the new NBA dynasty.

Brooklyn had conjured those dreams when they formed the Big 3 of Durant, Irving and Harden. But they only played 16 games (13-3) together.

Last season, injuries to Irving and James Harden in the playoffs prevented them from living up to their billing. 

A healthy Milwaukee Bucks team vanquished them on their way to their first title since 1971.

The Nets are still searching for their first title in franchise history. They entered this season as the title favorites again, but Irving’s decision not to have the COVID-19 vaccine alienated Harden.

Still, Brooklyn zoomed to the top of the Eastern Conference until a knee injury sidelined Durant since January 16.

The Nets hit rock-bottom losing 11 straight games as Harden mentally checked out with hamstring tightness. 

He eventually forced his way to division rival Philadelphia 76ers in a blockbuster trade deadline move for Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and future picks.

Simmons essentially replaced Harden in the Nets’ new version of a Big 3. But he has yet to play this season.

Talent is a big part of the equation of increasing the probability of winning an NBA title. But health is always a wildcard.

“That’s it. That’s number 1, 2, 3, and 4 really,” answered Nets coach Steve Nash when asked what the three most glaring things they need to get it right aside from health.

“I mean, these guys, we could have played better tonight, but we can play better on nights when we have everybody too. So, you’re not going to play great every night. But in this league, you flip it like take the Celtics and take their starters out. You know it’s different.”

The Celtics started the season at 18-21 before turning it around. Injuries, COVID-19 concerns, and adjustment to a new coach, Ime Udoka, Nash’s defensive coordinator last season, have held them back.

Once they got healthy, the Celtics started to build chemistry. They are the top defensive team in the league since Dec. 1, holding opponents to just 42.1% from the field. The decimated Nets couldn’t even reach that threshold, shooting only 41.5% against the Celtics’ vaunted defense.

They have dropped 13 of their last 15 games.

“We understand the situation we’re in,” Nash said. “We know there’s urgency. We know we’re not going to have half a season to figure this thing out.”

The Nets are ramping up things. They expect Durant and Dragic to join them in the next three games. Simmons could join them in the next few weeks. 

Irving playing in their home games is just now a question of when rather than if, as New York City Mayor Eric Adams hinted on lifting the vaccine mandate soon.

“We’re going to be up against the clock,” Nash said, “and our guys have been great because there’s a lot of pressure and circumstances that make it difficult. They’re dropping in the standings, but their spirit has been outstanding.”

Their spirit might be willing, but can their body hold up?

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Alder Almo is a former senior sportswriter for Philstar.com and NBA.com Philippines. He is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey, and writes for the New York-based sports website empiresportsmedia.com.