After the Nets defeated the Bucks on Tuesday night to pull ahead 3-2 in their best-of-seven series, Reggie Miller posed a question on Twitter about Brooklyn's strategy ahead of Game 6.
What if the team elected to sit Kevin Durant and James Harden to make sure they're well-rested ahead of Game 7? Miller cited Durant's "heavy minutes" as a reason that the team should consider doing that.
I’m just going to throw this out there to see what the responses will be.. If your Steve Nash and the Nets, would you sit James Harden AND Kevin Durant in Game 6 because of the heavy minutes tonight, and push all your chips to the center of table for Game 7??
— Reggie Miller (@ReggieMillerTNT) June 16, 2021
Durant did play all 48 minutes against Milwaukee and became the first player to accomplish that feat since LeBron James did so during the 2018 playoffs with the Cavaliers. Meanwhile, Harden is still nursing a hamstring injury that made him questionable for Tuesday's game.
MORE: Kevin Durant "inspired" by James Harden gutting through hamstring injury
However, fans, former players and even Velveeta let Miller know that they thought his idea was absurd.
Reggie now that would NOT be smart OG lol…
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) June 16, 2021
Legitimately checked three times to make sure it wasn’t a parody account https://t.co/gOieNU2EMs
— Andrew Joseph (@AndyJ0seph) June 16, 2021
tell me you bet on the series to go seven without saying you bet on the series https://t.co/hbTUon2QMS
— jason c. (@netw3rk) June 16, 2021
OH SHELL NO REGGIE
— Velveeta (@EatLiquidGold) June 16, 2021
the bucks have just mutually agreed to part ways with mike budenholzer and decided to hire reggie miller as their new head coach, per source https://t.co/X1nJfXeSrg
— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) June 16, 2021
That’s it. I’ve seen the worst take in twitter history. This cannot be topped https://t.co/tQ0NQAolHJ
— Tim Brennan (@TimBrennan43) June 16, 2021
Twitter as a whole will ensure you never have a head coaching job. https://t.co/s23LosrIDw
— SWAGGY C (@SwaggyCTV) June 16, 2021
“Hey guys, so would you throw game 6 away?" https://t.co/vQjEfActrW pic.twitter.com/oAGMZvGYpu
— War Chief Chris 💙❤️ (@KaiserAurelian) June 16, 2021
It's safe to assume that even despite heavy minutes, the Nets will not sit Durant and Harden in a potential series-clinching game against the Bucks. They may be veterans, and Harden may be dealing with an injury, but you simply don't sit in the playoffs if you can get on the court.
It would make little sense to save them for a Game 7 that they could avoid playing with a Game 6 win.
As such, the two stars will look to carry their team to the Eastern Conference Finals with Kyrie Irving (ankle) sidelined.
