Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
The Knicks share the town with the Nets’ Big Three but they haven’t shared the court yet in the two prior meetings — both Knicks losses.
That is, until possibly Monday night at Barclays Center when the Nets’ stars are threatening to be all healthy and ready to face the Knicks as a trio. There’s hardly a guarantee, but at least there’s a chance.
Following the Knicks’ 44-point victory in Detroit on Saturday, Reggie Bullock and Julius Randle took the Zoom stage together after combining for 49 points.
Randle and Bullock delivered a pointed message aimed across the Brooklyn Bridge when asked the possibility of finally facing the Nets’ Big Three on Monday night.
“We got a Big Five,” Bullock said.
“A Big 15,” Randle quickly noted.
“A Big 15,” Bullock continued. “We got a pretty good team. We’re not really concerned about their Big Three. We know what kind of basketball we will be able to play. We focus on our team and the game plan the coach draws up. That’s all we’re focused on — the Knicks.”
Even with the Nets’ personal days and injuries, they still are hot as fire — second in the Eastern Conference at 34-16, a half-game behind first-place Philadelphia.
This is the season the Nets are all in on a championship, even recently adding former All-Stars Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge.
The Knicks? They signed a third-string center Norvel Pelle, who already made an impact on their blue-collar image in his debut. He played on with a dislocated right index finger to make a free throw and block two shots in the final two minutes Saturday.
That is the 2020-21 Knicks — lacking stars but not warrior spirit. At least they have that one edge on the Hollywood Nets of KD, Harden and Kyrie.
“We’re worried about us,” said Randle, named an All-Star for the first time this season. “We have a whole team of guys. We try play the right way, we play hard. We play with energy. We feel we do that, we have a chance to win against anybody. It’s not about them and who they have or don’t have. It’s about us and competing at a high level on a nightly basis.”
The Knicks have withstood assorted injuries — mainly to starting center Mitchell Robinson — because the roster has depth.
The Big 15 indeed.
“It should be the mentality of every team,” Bullock said. “There’s 15 players on the roster. With our team, we have our leader, coach. We know how great we can be. That was our goal at the beginning of the year to compete against everyone and have fun while doing it.’’
Another key to the Knicks’ overachieving 25-25 record is their top two players, Randle and RJ Barrett, have been iron horses.
The Link LonkApril 05, 2021 at 12:48AM
https://nypost.com/2021/04/04/knicks-julius-randle-reggie-bullock-send-message-to-nets-big-3/
Knicks' Julius Randle, Reggie Bullock send message to Nets' Big 3 - New York Post
https://news.google.com/search?q=Send&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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