Forget the Manhattan Knicks, Brooklyn has become the city’s center of gravity for an NBA championship.
That after the Brooklyn Nets coasted to a 125-86 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday to capture a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals — inching the squad one win closer to an NBA Championship.
Even with an injury just 45 seconds into the first game of the series to star guard James Harden, the Nets were able to get a decisive victory in both game one and two on the backs of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Blake Griffin.
The Nets, behind their star power and explosive offense, are the favorites among the eight remaining teams in the NBA Playoffs. Their play has instilled confidence that the NBA Championship will come home to Brooklyn this season.
“I’m already mapping out the parade route which would obviously be on Flatbush,” said Councilmember and candidate for Brooklyn Borough President Robert Cornegy Jr.
A similar sentiment is shared by the city’s current mayor.
“History is about to be made. The Brooklyn Nets are going to go all the way, bring a championship to Brooklyn for the first time since the 1950’s,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio in a video posted to Twitter.
Excitement is rising in the city over a possible Nets championship. No major professional team in New York City has won a championship in any sport since the New York Giants won in 2012. The Nets certainly have the talent to change that.
The Bucks shot poorly in game 1 but reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo still had 34 points and 11 rebounds. “The Greek Freak,” as he is often referred to, has dominated the Nets in the interior all season due to his length and athleticism. However, the Nets historical offense was able to lead them past the Bucks in game 1.
Kevin Durant finished game two with 32 points and 6 assists, while Kyrie Irving finished with 22 points and 5 rebounds.
The Bucks are already a tough matchup and if Harden misses multiple games, it could make this series much more difficult for Brooklyn to pull out. This series could very well be the toughest the Nets will face in their road to the finals.
The series now heads to Milwaukee for games 3 and 4, where the Nets look to win the decisive matchup to close out the series. If need be, the teams will return to Brooklyn for game 5, before traveling to Milwaukee for game 6 and back to Brooklyn for game 7.
This story first appeared on PoliticsNY.com.
