Is Kyrie Irving Right About The 2021 Brooklyn Nets?

On Tuesday, Kyrie Irving said on social media that the Brooklyn Nets would have won the 2021 NBA Finals if they didn't have to deal with injuries.

The Brooklyn Nets may just be the biggest "what if" storyline in NBA history. With Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden on the same team together, the Nets looked unstoppable on paper, but in reality, this group never really played with one another. 

This star-studded trio played in just 16 games together and they played well in these 16 games, going 8-2 in the regular season and 5-1 in the postseason. 

However, injuries really derailed things for the Nets in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, as James Harden had to deal with a hamstring injury and Kyrie Irving missed time due to a sprained ankle. If it was not for Kevin Durant's toe being on the line in Game 7 of their series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn may have won a title, but the ended up losing in overtime and were bounced from the playoffs. 

On Tuesday, Irving responded to a post on Twitter referencing his sprained ankle in 2021 and he made a bold claim about what that 2021 Brooklyn Nets team was capable of. 

One of the most disappointing and painful moments of career. If I don’t get hurt that series, every single one of us on that Brooklyn team/bandwagon would be Champions.
No f***ing doubt about it.

Hélà
🤞🏾♾

— Chief Hélà 🤞🏾 (@KyrieIrving) April 25, 2023

Kyrie Irving: "One of the most disappointing and painful moments of career. If I don’t get hurt that series, every single one of us on that Brooklyn team/bandwagon would be Champions. No f***ing doubt about it. Hélà🤞🏾♾"

There are so many "what if's" to discuss in regards to the Nets and that season, but Irving does bring up a really strong point and case for Brooklyn winning the 2021 NBA Finals if they were all healthy. 

Harden hurt his hamstring in Game 1 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals against Milwaukee and Irving sprained his ankle in Game 4 of the same series. 

While this series was even at 2-2 after four games, the Nets took Game 5 at home and with both Harden and Irving healthy, they would have had a very strong chance to win Game 6 on the road and possibly even close at Game 7 at home. 

As mentioned above, the Nets ultimately lost this series and the Bucks went on to beat the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals, followed by the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals. 

Who knows how things would have played out if the Nets had all of their stars available and on the floor, but it is reasonable to agree with Irving's claim that they would have been champions that year if injuries never occurred. 

Then again, a lot of teams would love to make the same case for their organization, as injuries are a part of the game and unfortunately help determine every season's champion.