The Brooklyn Nets have entered the preseason without Kyrie Irving and that is beginning to pinch them. At least their blowout loss against the Philadelphia Sixers points towards the same. Even with James Harden and Kevin Durant on the floor, the Nets fell short of the offensive threats to tame down a solid opponent.

This loss against the 76ers became the Nets’ first setback after demolishing the Lakers and somehow defeating the Bucks. Although it had The Beard doing his part quite well, it certainly expose one of his weaknesses.

It’s getting harder for James Harden to draw fouls

At the beginning of Q2, the Nets were trailing 27-40 against the Sixers. At that very moment, James Harden tried to force a 4-pointer attempt on #7 Isaiah Joe, which failed miserably. Not just The Beard failed to force the foul, he also air-balled as Shaquille Harrison caught the long-range attempt.

This can be the result of the NBA recently tweaking the rules. As per the new league regulations, the non-basketball moves can no more help the players like Harden and Trae Young to squeeze fouls out of thin air. Take a close look at how it impacted James – 

Looks like the 9x All-Star will take some time to match his style of play with these tougher to please refs. 

Read more: This Video Might Make You Lose All Your Respect For James Harden (Or Gain)

What happened to the Brooklyn Nets against the 76ers?

The Nets clocked 10 extra turnovers compared to their opponents at the Wells Fargo Center. They lost the first three quarters, allowing guard-forward Furkan Korkmaz to outscore Kevin Durant. Plus, Steve Nash’s men’s ball movement looked lousy against their own high standards. 

At one point, Isaiah Joe and Korkmaz had 47 points together at 17/28 shooting. This showed just how the Nets’ defense was totally permeable. Also, James Harden turning over the ball five times further weakened them. 

Just the last quarter aside, the Nets did not look like a champion squad and Steve Nash must quickly do something about it. What do you think? Can the Nets deliver without Kyrie Irving, just in case? Help us know in the comments below.

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