KEY POINTS

  • James Harden knows the Nets can win it all if all of their players are healthy
  • Harden has yet to get a credible playing time with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant
  • The Nets are tipped as favorites to win in the 2021-22 NBA season

The Brooklyn Nets look pretty good on paper, but all that is useless if most of the stars are in sickbay.

James Harden was a big-name acquisition last NBA season, but his presence was erratic due to injuries. It was the same predicament with other stars like Kyrie Irving who was on and off the roster.

For a team that has Harden, Irving and Kevin Durant, there is no denying that the Nets look daunting. The only question that remains is whether these players can stay healthy.

Harden appeared to be aware of that when he spoke to Michael Shapiro of Sports Illustrated. He believes the Nets have the right pieces to win the NBA title, but all that can only materialize if everyone is ready to play.

"At full strength, nobody can beat us," he said. "I’m just going to leave it at that."

The Nets went as far as the Eastern Conference Finals last season but were foiled by the eventual NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks.

Irving missed the final three games, while Harden returned but not at 100%. In all, Durant tried his best to carry the team.

Also worth noting is that the Nets’ "Big Three" hardly played much together on the floor. They logged only 202 minutes over eight games in the regular season, yet another factor that some are pointing out.

Heading into the 2021-22 NBA season, the Nets will try again. With more time to recover and the opportunity to blend in as a team, there is reason to believe Brooklyn may win it all this coming season.

James Harden Kevin Durant
James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets and teammate Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors and Team LeBron watch on from the bench during the NBA All-Star game as part of the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend at Spectrum Center on February 17, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

The Nets are practically in the same boat as the Los Angeles Lakers.

Brooklyn is the favorite at +230, with the Lakers (+400) and Bucks (+850) following behind per FanDuel.