The Brooklyn Nets began their season with a bang. With the return of Kevin Durant, the Nets got off to a solid win in Steve Nash’s first game as head coach. The Nets blew out the Warriors 125-99 on the opening night of the new NBA season.
Despite coming off a career-changing injury, Kevin Durant looked like his old self, scoring 22 points. And Kyrie Irving chimed in with 26 points of his own. The Nets made life difficult for Steph Curry and the Warriors.
The 26 point win for Brooklyn in Steve Nash's head coaching debut is the 3rd-largest win in a head coach's debut in NBA history.
h/t @EliasSports https://t.co/0vVPrOBpWN
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 23, 2020
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But the Nets made history in their win over the Warriors. They were finally able to end a seven-year streak of losing their opening games of an NBA season. Their last opening game win came in 2012 against the Raptors.
However, that is not all they accomplished. The Nets’ massive victory became the third biggest victory for a new head coach’s debut game. Steve Nash had a fantastic start to his coaching career, and he can thank his players for buying into his playing style and tactics during the game.
The Brooklyn Nets are considered favorites in the eyes of many this season. After Kevin Durant’s excellent performances during the pre-season, it became clear that he can still be one of the best players in the league at his own behest.
Brooklyn Nets make history
With another All-Star with championship experience like Kyrie Irving, KD and Irving can really cause problems for the rest of the NBA. But the players around this duo are also excellent. The Nets have an excellent depth at almost every position, and each player can carry out their role perfectly.
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The biggest question mark entering the seasons were Steve Nash as head coach and Kevin Durant’s health. Both those questions have been answered well in the pre-season and the opening game. But the challenge doesn’t end there.
The Nets must now prove, throughout the course of the season, that their status as favorites was warranted. Durant will be ready to show that when healthy, he is still one of the best players in the NBA. And Kyrie Irving has a lot to prove from a personal standpoint.
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Irving considers himself a leader for the Nets, and he is one. If he can help lead this team to the NBA Finals, it will dispel much of the negative reputations surrounding Kyrie’s leadership abilities.
While the Nets have started strong, there is still a long stretch of games to be played. The Nets must prove that they are everything they claim to be and do well during the regular season to get a high playoff seed.