It seems as though a greater force is preventing Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden from taking the court together.
Brooklyn's Big 3 is 13-3 playing together and 59-35 when missing at least one head of the three-headed monster.
Playing just 14.5 percent of 110 possible games is not something that GM Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash envisioned for the superstars.
Even before Harden's arrival, Durant missed the 2019-2020 campaign rehabbing his Achilles injury and Irving played in just 20 games before undergoing shoulder surgery.
Don't mention to Nets fans the shuffling on and off the injury report for Harden and Durant last year, while Irving missed time due to personal reasons.
Harden re-aggravated his hamstring in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA playoff semifinal round against Milwaukee before returning for the final three games of the series seriously hampered by the setback.
Irving suffered a serious ankle injury in Game 4 and missed the remainder of the playoffs.
Optimism was running high heading into 2021 Nets training camp that finally the three amigos would stay healthy and eligible, but Irving's refusal to comply with New York City's vaccine mandates forced him to miss the first 39 contests of this year.
Now just when Irving is cemented as a part-time player and optimism growing that either he will warm to the idea of getting vaccinated or mandates will be loosened or lifted this spring, Durant will miss 4-6 weeks with a MCL sprain in his left knee.
Bad luck is one thing, but when a franchise that has often been snakebitten throughout its history, fans can't but wonder if this simply another chapter in a cursed story?
Brooklyn's championship window is in Year 2 with no guarantee that Harden or Irving will re-sign as both are set to become free agents. The reality is that the arrow is still pointing up at a potential first NBA championship for the Nets and perhaps the sun will finally shine on this hard luck organization
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