The NBA playoffs are in full swing, and yesterday, the Brooklyn Nets lost at home to the Boston Celtics and were swept out 4-0 by their opponents. For the first time in his career, Kevin Durant was swept out in the first round of the playoffs, and Irving's all losses in the first round of the playoffs were due to the Celtics.
As a championship favorite before the start of the season, such a terrible performance really disappointed and helpless many fans who liked the Nets. Durant's sluggish state, Irving's confusion and helplessness, Nash's fan operation, all of which contributed to the Nets' defeat, after the game, Owen accepted an interview and expressed his desire to renew the Nets' idea, which caused heated discussion among fans.
For the Nets being swept, Irving said: "I am disappointed and sad for the team because we did not play our good side to the level that we should have, but I am full of motivation now, and I feel that there is a fire burning in my heart. Everybody wants us to lose, a lot of people choose to treat us as competitors, but I use that as motivation for next season.
In a post-game interview, Irving talked about whether he would renew his contract with the Nets in the offseason, and Irving said: "I really don't plan to go anywhere else. ”
This sentence has caused too much controversy, first of all, let's look at an interesting set of data. As early as 2013, when Irving was playing for the Cavaliers, Irving made it clear in an interview: "I will not leave the Cavaliers, absolutely not!" In the summer of 2017, he applied to the team's management for a trade, and eventually the Cavaliers sent him to the Celtics. Before the start of the 2017-18 season, Irving promised: "I intend to complete the contract extension with the team next year!" The following summer, Irving chose to leave the Celtics to join the Nets.
Combined with previous experience, Owen's words have aroused heated discussion among fans as soon as they are released. Will Owen leave? Irving hasn't played many games for the Nets this season, playing just 29 of the 82 games of the season. Irving barely showed up in the first half, and in the second half Irving only played away games, and it was not until near the end of the season that Irving was allowed to play at home. In his 29 games, he averaged 27.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 37.6 minutes per game, shooting 46.9% from the field and 41.8% from three-point range.
Owen was insulted in large part because of his professional attitude. If Irving chooses to be vaccinated at the beginning of the regular season, the combination of Durant + Harden + Irving is still the most championship-winning team in the league, Harden will not even leave because of this, but Irving does not do it; during the playoffs, coinciding with Ramadan, Irving needs to eat during the day, which greatly consumes his body, which may be one of the reasons for his poor performance during the playoffs.
Now, the Nets have been swept out, and the preparations for next season have begun in advance, and who will go and who will stay at that time will still see the operation of the Nets' top management.