The Nets open their season on Wednesday night in Brooklyn against the Pelicans. The Post’s Brian Lewis makes three bold predictions about the highly anticipated Nets campaign.
Three bold predictions
1. Joe Harris wins his third 3-point crown: Ben Simmons creates as many clean 3-point looks for teammates as anybody in the league. After Harris won 3-point titles in two of his past three healthy campaigns (47.4 percent and 47.5 percent), expect to see him claim another once he gets healthy.
2. The Nets give Kyrie Irving an extension, or he’ll end up in Los Angeles: When the Nets and Irving couldn’t agree on an extension this past summer, it led to speculation he would leave for the Lakers. The All-Star eventually opted in to the final year of his contract, but if Irving displays his commitment this season, look for the Nets to try to extend him — and keep him away from the Lakers, who still want him.
3. Brooklyn is tested out of the gate: The first 20 games are going to be a brutal gauntlet for the Nets. Their 12 road games and five back-to-backs are both most in the East, and they have 10 dates with 2022 playoff teams — not even including the Clippers and Lakers. Still not fully healthy or used to their schematic tweaks, they could stumble out of the starting blocks.
Five games to watch
Wednesday vs. New Orleans: Zion Williamson’s status is up in the air, but with the long-delayed Brooklyn debut of Ben Simmons and the new Big 3, Nets fans will be fired up no matter who is on the other side.
Nov. 9 vs. Knicks: The Nets haven’t lost to the Knicks since Jan. 2020, riding a seven-game winning streak into this first meeting of the season, which will be nationally televised on ESPN.
Nov. 22 at Philadelphia: Speaking of Simmons, this will be must-see drama. He was injured for last season’s return — a 129-100 Nets win — but that didn’t stop fans from waiting outside the team hotel to heckle him. The hate level will be off the charts in this TNT tilt.
Dec. 4 vs. Boston: After the Nets were swept in the playoffs by the Celtics, Kevin Durant requested a trade. Boston reportedly offered Jaylen Brown, but the Nets rejected the package. Now Durant gets to try to make the Celtics regret not meeting the Nets’ price. Watching Durant and Simmons match up with Brown and Jayson Tatum will be icing on the cake.
Jan. 22 at Golden State: As crazy as it seems, this will be Durant’s first game back in the Bay Area with fans in attendance. His first year with the Nets was spent rehabbing his Achilles injury, the 2020-21 game was played without a crowd due to the pandemic and he missed last season’s game due to an MCL injury. Oh, watching the Nets measure themselves against the defending champs is a bonus.
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