USA Today via Reuters
May 4, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden calls out from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
May 4, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden calls out from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
There can not be a better start to the NBA preseason than to have the two conference-best rosters battling it out. However, it can turn mediocre if the stars from these units go missing. So this is the story for Lakers vs Nets in a nutshell.
Just a couple of days back, news came that the Lakers will miss four of their stars when they meet the Nets. And now, a few key Brooklynames have joined the batch of absentees.
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Nets vs Lakers will not see Kevin Durant vs LeBron James
The Lakers will not have Carmelo Anthony (who funnily got a black eye because of AD), Trevor Ariza (ankle injury), Russell Westbrook, and LeBron James in their preseason opener. On the other hand, the Nets will miss the Big Three, and at least four other players for the night.
This means it’ll be a G-League level of a game with Anthony Davis playing limited minutes just to tap off some rust. So the first real Lakers vs Nets game is still 83 days away when they will meet on Christmas Eve.
Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Joe Harris, Patty Mills, Blake Griffin and James Johnson all will NOT play Sunday against the Lakers per Steve Nash.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) October 2, 2021
The fans can only wish that this is not a signal that the idea of load management will see more such headlines in the coming months.
Read more – Lakers Make Crucial Addition to Coaching Staff Before NBA 2021-22
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Will the Lake Show match the Nets’ power punch in the regular season?
Even with full battery power, the Lakers will find it tough to match against a healthy Brooklyn roster. Recently, their leaked starting five showed Anthony Davis starting as a center while Trevor Ariza takes his place as a power forward. It led to immense trolling from the fans who counted this idea out.
USA Today via Reuters
Apr 10, 2021; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Marc Gasol (14) and small forward Kyle Kuzma (0) and power forward Anthony Davis (3) and small forward LeBron James (23) watch from the bench during the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports | Courtesy: Reuters
Frank Vogel is anyway infamous for his rotation and this gives the Nets an edge. They have LaMarcus Aldridge back in the squad. Plus, Blake Griffin will further make it hard for someone like Trevor Ariza to match that level.
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However, just as Phil Handy earlier said, papers don’t win games and hence it will still be a 50-50 battle. So whom are you supporting? Help us know in the comments section below.
Watch this story: The Big Threes to Watch Out for in the 2021-22 Season
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