Kyrie to Durant ...

[Openheimer]

The way people defend him is insane. If Harden or Durant did this they would be skinned alive

I mean, harden did the same only it wanst for personal reasons it was to force a trade and go maskless to strip clubs.

Harden didn’t miss a game . He played. Did he half ass it? Sure but he played . Plus he played hard for the first 4 games then he went half ass mode. He only missed due to protocol and injuries. He never took games off on a whim. He played.

[Suwanee]

but even for fans I rather he get a rest since it's one less game he can get injured in. I already know he can get 40 on the twolves anytime...

Oh, and this gem. I mean, are you serious? Yes, sure he won’t get injured in games he doesn’t play. But what about other players who have to share bigger burden in his absence. Remember the Bearded guy? How did he get injured? How about KD who just came back from an injury?

Harden got injured in a game Kyrie played in. he got re-injured in a game kyrie played in. Harden averaged over 38 minutes per game in the 7 games KD/Kyrie/Harden were together.

Harden getting big minutes has nothing to do with kyrie missing games.

So Harden’s injury and re-injury didn’t have anything to do with the extended usage before Kyrie came back?

And 38 minutes with big 3 all in the game is the same as 38 minutes when you have to carry the entire team by yourself?

Stupid is fine. But don’t go FULL stupid.

[Prokorov]

The way people defend him is insane. If Harden or Durant did this they would be skinned alive

I mean, harden did the same only it wanst for personal reasons it was to force a trade and go maskless to strip clubs.

Harden didn’t miss a game . He played. Did he half ass it? Sure but he played . Plus he played hard for the first 4 games then he went half ass mode. He only missed due to protocol and injuries. He never took games off on a whim. He played.

"he only took games off to protocol" is kind of a cop out. its not like he got it from a trainer at the facility. he was out maskeless at strip clubs, got sat for covid protocol, then did it again... because he wanted a trade and didnt care about his team or teammates.

If Kyrie got suspended for Covid protocol for going to stripl clubs he would get killed for it. hell he got killed for doing it at his sisters birthday for a team he actually wants to play for. not to get traded.

[Prokorov]

Oh, and this gem. I mean, are you serious? Yes, sure he won’t get injured in games he doesn’t play. But what about other players who have to share bigger burden in his absence. Remember the Bearded guy? How did he get injured? How about KD who just came back from an injury?

Harden got injured in a game Kyrie played in. he got re-injured in a game kyrie played in. Harden averaged over 38 minutes per game in the 7 games KD/Kyrie/Harden were together.

Harden getting big minutes has nothing to do with kyrie missing games.

So Harden’s injury and re-injury didn’t have anything to do with the extended usage before Kyrie came back?

And 38 minutes with big 3 all in the game is the same as 38 minutes when you have to carry the entire team by yourself?

Stupid is fine. But don’t go FULL stupid.

Here are the games the 2 played leading up to hardens injury:

Kyrie played in 27 of the 33 games leasing up to Harden's hamstring injury.

those 6 games kyrie missed:
vs. Indy - injury; right groin
vs. dallas - injury; right shoulder
vs. suns - injury back spams
vs. Philly - personal reasons
vs. por - personal reasons
vs. Det - personal reasons

So of the 33 games leading up to Hardens injury, kyrie only missed 6 of them and only half of those to personal reasons. Kyrie also played in the game harden got re-injured in.

The idea that Harden's overuse led to a hamstring injury because kyrie has been constantly out is simply not based in reality. the reality is, Nash is the sole reason for hardens minutes being where they are.

[sashaturiaf]

Oh, and this gem. I mean, are you serious? Yes, sure he won’t get injured in games he doesn’t play. But what about other players who have to share bigger burden in his absence. Remember the Bearded guy? How did he get injured? How about KD who just came back from an injury?

Harden got injured in a game Kyrie played in. he got re-injured in a game kyrie played in. Harden averaged over 38 minutes per game in the 7 games KD/Kyrie/Harden were together.

Harden getting big minutes has nothing to do with kyrie missing games.

So Harden’s injury and re-injury didn’t have anything to do with the extended usage before Kyrie came back?

And 38 minutes with big 3 all in the game is the same as 38 minutes when you have to carry the entire team by yourself?

Stupid is fine. But don’t go FULL stupid.

Hardens played these minutes with this type of usage the last few years he was at the Rockets. Really, what's changed?

We have the best team in the league at Full strength. The only objective that matters is to get to postseason healthy and I will never blame anyone, not the coaching staff and not the players if they give Kyrie and KD some extra days off.

I mean KD is coming off an Achilles injury. An injury that finished the great Kobe Bryant, we should be handling KD with kiddy gloves this season as it's the only prudent thing to do.

And Kyrie has 1 less ring because they made him play with a hurt knee in 2015 which ended up costing them the finals when he fractured it.

We need these guys for the finals. Not a Twolves game in April in an already shortened season with a crazy schedule. If we expect 7/11 to play every game in this sort of condensed season I would say that is going FULL STUPID...

[Suwanee]

Hardens played these minutes with this type of usage the last few years he was at the Rockets. Really, what's changed?

What's changed is his age. He's not made of iron even though we call him ironman. His heavy usage in Houston makes it even more important to handle his usage more carefully.

We need these guys for the finals. Not a Twolves game in April in an already shortened season with a crazy schedule. If we expect 7/11 to play every game in this sort of condensed season I would say that is going FULL STUPID...

I have no problem if the coaching staff decide to load manage certain players. The way they handle KD's minutes right now is absolutely right thing to do. What I have problem with is some player just takes a leave whenever he feels like it or if the wind goes south.

[sashaturiaf]

Hardens played these minutes with this type of usage the last few years he was at the Rockets. Really, what's changed?

What's changed is his age. He's not made of iron even though we call him ironman. His heavy usage in Houston makes it even more important to handle his usage more carefully.

We need these guys for the finals. Not a Twolves game in April in an already shortened season with a crazy schedule. If we expect 7/11 to play every game in this sort of condensed season I would say that is going FULL STUPID...

I have no problem if the coaching staff decide to load manage certain players. The way they handle KD's minutes right now is absolutely right thing to do. What I have problem with is some player just takes a leave whenever he feels like it or if the wind goes south.

I can't speak for other Nets fans. But as a Nets fan, not a Kyrie Stan or a Harden Stan I've got no issues with Kyrie taking a few games off in the regular season. Making the playoffs is the only thing that matters and we are pretty much there.

[MrDollarBills]

Honestly I'm fine with Kyrie getting rest days. After watching what happened to Jamal Murray last night we need to make sure everyone is being properly maintained, dude tore his ACL playing in a game he should have probably been sitting for.

[MrDollarBills]

Hardens played these minutes with this type of usage the last few years he was at the Rockets. Really, what's changed?

What's changed is his age. He's not made of iron even though we call him ironman. His heavy usage in Houston makes it even more important to handle his usage more carefully.

We need these guys for the finals. Not a Twolves game in April in an already shortened season with a crazy schedule. If we expect 7/11 to play every game in this sort of condensed season I would say that is going FULL STUPID...

I have no problem if the coaching staff decide to load manage certain players. The way they handle KD's minutes right now is absolutely right thing to do. What I have problem with is some player just takes a leave whenever he feels like it or if the wind goes south.

I can't speak for other Nets fans. But as a Nets fan, not a Kyrie Stan or a Harden Stan I've got no issues with Kyrie taking a few games off in the regular season. Making the playoffs is the only thing that matters and we are pretty much there.

This. Getting these 3 guys to the playoffs at 100% is the goal right now. I could care less who gets butthurt over a regular season game.

[TheNetsFan]

One thing that I haven't seen reported is Kyrie's fiance's due date. We know she's pregnant, but if she's in the last couple of months of pregnancy, it's understandable why he's not traveling with the team. While most of men can say we don't miss work outside of the days around and after birth, our jobs don't regularly have us a multi-hour plane ride away. In my case, when I would regularly travel for work, I would not travel much when my wife was later in her pregnancy, or for stints when she was on bed rest.

Depending on how far along Kyrie's fiance is, it would be very understandable if he continues to skip all road trips that are more than a moderate car ride away.

[Suwanee]

What's changed is his age. He's not made of iron even though we call him ironman. His heavy usage in Houston makes it even more important to handle his usage more carefully.


I have no problem if the coaching staff decide to load manage certain players. The way they handle KD's minutes right now is absolutely right thing to do. What I have problem with is some player just takes a leave whenever he feels like it or if the wind goes south.

I can't speak for other Nets fans. But as a Nets fan, not a Kyrie Stan or a Harden Stan I've got no issues with Kyrie taking a few games off in the regular season. Making the playoffs is the only thing that matters and we are pretty much there.

This. Getting these 3 guys to the playoffs at 100% is the goal right now. I could care less who gets butthurt over a regular season game.

Then why even play? Shut all big 3 down until maybe 5 games before the playoffs to ramp up.

[MrDollarBills]

I can't speak for other Nets fans. But as a Nets fan, not a Kyrie Stan or a Harden Stan I've got no issues with Kyrie taking a few games off in the regular season. Making the playoffs is the only thing that matters and we are pretty much there.

This. Getting these 3 guys to the playoffs at 100% is the goal right now. I could care less who gets butthurt over a regular season game.

Then why even play? Shut all big 3 down until maybe 5 games before the playoffs to ramp up.

Because we still need to maintain our position. No one is saying sit all 3 down til next month. Kyrie missing today's game is irrelevant in the long run.

[MrDollarBills]

One thing that I haven't seen reported is Kyrie's fiance's due date. We know she's pregnant, but if she's in the last couple of months of pregnancy, it's understandable why he's not traveling with the team. While most of men can say we don't miss work outside of the days around and after birth, our jobs don't regularly have us a multi-hour plane ride away. In my case, when I would regularly travel for work, I would not travel much when my wife was later in her pregnancy, or for stints when she was on bed rest.

Depending on how far along Kyrie's fiance is, it would be very understandable if he continues to skip all road trips that are more than a moderate car ride away.

That's what I was thinking, he missed the last road game as well right?

I don't understand why this is being blown out of proportion. Dude could catch a stomach flu and have to miss a game and people will start rioting.

Also, I don't know if people are aware of this but from the very beginning Sean Marks has been open about 2 things when he took charge of this franchise: player safety and also families being a priority.

[CalamityX12]

Thought kyrie had the baby already?

[Suwanee]

I read somewhere that this time it's religious related. Not sure if true.

[Suwanee]

This. Getting these 3 guys to the playoffs at 100% is the goal right now. I could care less who gets butthurt over a regular season game.

Then why even play? Shut all big 3 down until maybe 5 games before the playoffs to ramp up.

Because we still need to maintain our position. No one is saying sit all 3 down til next month. Kyrie missing today's game is irrelevant in the long run.

Ok. We can both agree that position/seeding is important. So they still need to play. But the minute they step on the court, there's risk of getting injured. You can't have it both ways.

[MrDollarBills]

Then why even play? Shut all big 3 down until maybe 5 games before the playoffs to ramp up.

Because we still need to maintain our position. No one is saying sit all 3 down til next month. Kyrie missing today's game is irrelevant in the long run.

Ok. We can both agree that position/seeding is important. So they still need to play. But the minute they step on the court, there's risk of getting injured. You can't have it both ways.

I'm talking about in terms of keeping bodies fresh. Injury can happen at any time, but less wear and tear on Kyrie is a good thing for our championship aspirations.

[Whiskey Slick]

Why are we pretending this is about DNP's and limiting minutes for the purpose of preventive maintenance?

Those are coaches decisions and fairly normal in the NBA, particularly with your star players, and the Nets (Nash) have been doing that all year with the BIG 3 (when healthy) to the complete understanding of Nets fans, or at least the overwhelming majority who understood the importance of player maintenance during the course of a long, and in this case truncated NBA season with an unusual number of back-to-backs.

But that's not what we're talking about here. Can we at least not be disingenuous about that?

We're talking about ONE PLAYER, one of the BIG 3, who has taken it upon himself to decide when he'll play and when he won't, or when he won't even bother to show up. Even while KD and Harden are sitting on the sidelines while rehabbing, yet still appearing at every game just to lend their moral support and wisdom to the team, we have one prima-donna, and that's exactly what he is, a prima-donna taking advantage of his status as a superstar to an unprecedented level, I mean to a degree that none of us have ever seen in our lifetimes, barring holdouts for more money, but that's not what this is about either. This is just about ONE PLAYER deciding for himself not only when he will or won't play for the ungodly amount of money he's being paid, but who is also deciding, FOR HIMSELF, when he will or won't even bother to show-up.

This is something none of us have ever seen in professional sports in North America, in any sport, ever, and I'm sorry to the apologists but for some of us it's putting a damper on a season all of us were bursting with excitement over. The idea of the BIG 3 was off the charts exciting. Unfortunately they've only played 7 GAMES together all season, mostly due to maddening muscle/soft tissue injuries, but as much as that hurts (and please don't pretend you weren't as excited as the rest of us to see the BIG 3 on the floor at the same time), but as much as that hurts, we all understand most of that is due to injuries and there's nothing you can do about it. You just have to roll with it and hope ALL 3 are healthy for the playoffs.

But there's ONE OF THE BIG 3 who is missing almost as many games as the other two, the two who still show-up every night and take all the flights to be there with their teammates regardless of their injuries and rehabs, unless being told, BY MANAGEMENT, that it would be more beneficial for them to stay in Brooklyn, like Dinwiddie, and focus on their rehab.

But again, that's not what this is either and we all know it.

We know EXACTLY what this is and some of us will never just shut-up and accept it, much less make excuses for it. And we're not gonna lie about it either. We know it's unprecedented, it's one prima-donna, one diva, taking full advantage of his status as a superstar, knowing he has management in a box, and for some of us it's put a BIG DAMPER on the BIG 3. Hopefully he doesn't do this in the playoffs too, but I'm not optimistic about that.

The only thing I am sure about is, EVEN IF THAT HAPPENS, he'll still have his apologists.

"Sorry bro, but it was his sisters birthday ... blah blah blah."

[ecuhus1981]

^
To MDB's and WS' somewhat conflicting points of view, I see both of your positions.

I don't think anyone on this board feels that Kyrie should play all 72, previous health risks be darned. No one here has a problem with maintenance days for physical recuperation. It's a packed schedule, and our Big 3 are not spring chickens anymore.

Some folks here seem to have a problem with maintenance days for mental recuperation, and I wouldn't even lump myself into that camp. All I'm saying is, when does it stop? If Nash puts a cap on it now, will that prevent Kyrie from missing games in the postseason? I'm all for physical, mental and spiritual wellness. There's a point of diminishing returns there, and an opportunity cost that impacts the rest of a team to whom you are supposed to be committed to cooperating.

My other problem is, I know things come up unexpectedly in everyone's lives. But the main job of a 3rd wheel is to pick up the slack when one of the two bigger superstars needs a rest. Kyrie has been even less accountable when we need him most. Maybe it doesn't bother KD or James, maybe I'm projecting my frustration onto them you'll say. Possible. I still feel that the team needs to find out whether they can rely on him going forward, and we can't walk on eggshells or treat him with kids gloves about it. If he can't commit to the daily drudgery, then we don't need him taking 20 shots a night when the lights are brightest.

[Whiskey Slick]

My other problem is, I know things come up unexpectedly in everyone's lives. But the main job of a 3rd wheel is to pick up the slack when one of the two bigger superstars needs a rest. Kyrie has been even less accountable when we need him most. Maybe it doesn't bother KD or James, maybe I'm projecting my frustration onto them you'll say. Possible. I still feel that the team needs to find out whether they can rely on him going forward, and we can't walk on eggshells or treat him with kids gloves about it. If he can't commit to the daily drudgery, then we don't need him taking 20 shots a night when the lights are brightest.

Exactly.

When 2 of the BIG 3 are down with injuries, that's when the only healthy one is needed most of all, but that's exactly when Kyrie took the opposite approach and became even less dependable. Not as a player, but that he would even show up to play. At this point, when the other BIG 2 are down, we don't even know if the healthy one is showing up from one day to the next?

That makes it even more infuriating, or at least disappointing.

Even if KD and Harden are cool with it, I, as a fan, am not.

If I can use a combat analogy, it's like leaving your wounded on the battlefield.