The 2021 Brooklyn Nets, boasting a star-studded trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, remain a team shrouded in what-if scenarios. Perhaps the most popular question that continues to linger is what if they had remained healthy throughout their playoff run?
The Nets’ playoff run came to an abrupt end with a Game 7 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Up 2-1 in the series, Brooklyn’s momentum shifted dramatically when Irving went down with an ankle injury in the second quarter of Game 4, sidelining him for the rest of the series.
Durant’s masterful performance kept the Nets in contention, but the Bucks capitalized on their injuries, ending their run and eventually capturing the NBA championship. Yet, there’s a strong belief that the Nets, had they stayed healthy, could have been the ones celebrating.
Markieff Morris echoes this sentiment. The current Dallas Mavericks forward specifically believes that if Giannis Antetokounmpo hadn’t stepped under Irving, the Bucks would still be without a title, and the Nets would have secured the championship.
“If Giannis [Antetokounmpo] ain’t put his foot under [Irving], [the Nets] would’ve had a championship,” said Morris. “Milwaukee would still be without a championship. “I know so. They were going to get swept. They know that. You can ask anybody on their team.”
Markieff Morris says Giannis Antetokounmpo would still be ringless if he hadn’t injured Kyrie Irving
“If Giannis ain’t put his foot under [Irving], [Brooklyn] would’ve had a championship. Milwaukee would still be without a championship. I know so. They were going to get… pic.twitter.com/rFJr77J2E1
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 8, 2024
