2021 NBA playoffs power rankings — 1. Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are only up 2-1 on Milwaukee, but the Bucks are cooked. Milwaukee can make much of this article look stupid with a Game 4 win, but the Nets have been the better team by a wide margin, and Game 3 feels more like a fluke than a sign that the Bucks can compete.
It’s difficult to picture any team beating Brooklyn when the Nets are rolling. James Harden is expected to return at some point, and the Nets’ supporting cast continues to bolster its reputation. Blake Griffin has been a marvel all postseason, while the likes of Joe Harris, Bruce Brown, and Nic Claxton are real pieces.
The Nets can beat even the best defenses on sheer shot-making prowess. Kevin Durant has reasserted his place among the NBA greats, while Kyrie Irving continues to deliver big shot after big shot. Brooklyn has a talent overload with a lot of great pieces on the margins. The lack of a true big is mildly concerning — especially if Philadelphia is the next matchup — but the Nets’ can outgun any team on any night.
So long as Durant is healthy and Harden gets back, I find myself hard-pressed to put Brooklyn any lower. The Nets are not shoo-ins by any stretch — the Jazz, Suns, and Sixers all feel like real threats — but Brooklyn is the heavy favorite, and rightfully so. Steve Nash has that team playing good basketball.