There must have been a strange mix of disappointment and relief among the Nets on Monday afternoon. Like a job interview getting rescheduled. The best players in the world want to play against the best players in the world; Nic Claxton, for example, could have further proven his ascension is no fluke by going up against Anthony Davis. Kyrie Irving surely cherishes every chance to compete against LeBron James.
Then on Monday, Brooklyn found out that they’d be facing a Lakers squad missing their two stars in LeBron and AD ... and without their own stars, Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons.