Hello NBA, the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving Era Has Arrived: Unchecked

Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets have officially arrived.

It was only one game, but the Brooklyn Nets did prove one thing in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving’s debut as a duo...the hype is real.

Not even a quarter in and damn...KD and Kyrie gonna be something special to watch this year

— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) December 23, 2020

When a team has two guys who can score from any spot on the floor to the point of completely breaking an opposing team’s defense, they need to be mentioned amongst the contenders immediately. Especially when the stars are also surrounded by depth.

on a serious note: what makes the Nets scary isn't just the depth, it's even their garbage time lineup has four games of playoff experience together.

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) December 23, 2020

Joe Harris is a brilliant complement as a shooter, and Caris LeVert appears poised to win the Sixth Man of the Year award as the guy off the bench. The rest of the Nets were a playoff team prior to adding KD and Kyrie after all. But ultimately the squad will go as far as they do.

KD returns and makes his Nets debut 👏

Kevin Durant drops 22 PTS in 3 quarters of action as the @BrooklynNets top GSW top open the season! #KiaTipOff20 pic.twitter.com/kwCUOWN1SP

— NBA (@NBA) December 23, 2020

However, each is a proven playoff performer. Durant looks all the way back already, which instantly puts him in the upper echelon of NBA superstars. While Kyrie clearly thrives as the second guy, and for someone who said he wants his play to do the talking, he was screaming against Golden State.

Kyrie is dancing on the Warriors 😳 pic.twitter.com/b1gj218XEr

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 23, 2020

Now, of course, the Nets need to keep this up against better competition than the Warriors. And eventually, their defense will be tested, though I think KD will help on that end a lot more than people realized. Plus, rookie coach Steve Nash’s calm confidence will surely be tried at some point this season.

“This is the start of something new right here.”@KyrieIrving gives the game ball to Coach @SteveNash 🎥 pic.twitter.com/lOQrmCKmXH

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 23, 2020

But this is obviously a team with championship-level talent, and one that should no longer be considering a James Harden trade.

Also pretty clear the Nets absolutely do not need harden. They’ve got the perfect composition of “other guys”

— Kazeem Famuyide 🇳🇬 🍎 (@Kazeem) December 23, 2020

The Brooklyn Nets have officially arrived. Or as a famous Brooklynite once said, they’re already home.