On Tuesday, Nets guard Kyrie Irving was directly asked he believes the Nets have enough to win an NBA championship this season. But he didn’t give a direct answer.
“We’ll see,” Irving said, per ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “We’ll see, man. You can’t predict the future as of right now. Any time I try to do that — God has a way of humbling me. I’m just going to take it one day at a time.”
Brooklyn was strongly considered to be a favorite to win it all this season but several roadblocks have come up and now the squad is preparing to compete in the play-in tournament. The Nets (40–38) are the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference as it stands now.
Irving has just recently re-joined the team as a full-time player after New York City peeled back the private sector COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Kevin Durant missed over a month of action with a sprained MCL in his left knee and the team had a 5–17 record in his absence.
Not to mention, James Harden was traded to the 76ers in exchange for several players, including Ben Simmons. The three-time all Star, who is dealing with a herniated disc in his back, hasn’t suited up once this season and coach Steve Nash ruled him out for the rest of the regular season along with the play-in tournament. Needless to say, the Nets have dealt with their fair share of challenges.
Irving’s reservation is understandable, but Brooklyn is rightfully expected to make the playoffs and make some noise when it gets there.
