How Kevin Durant being out impacts the Dallas Mavericks in NBA Orlando

How Kevin Durant’s injury impacts Dallas Mavericks: Blow to Nets title hopes

The Brooklyn Nets sit seventh in Eastern Conference. That cannot move up in Orlando. The Magic are just half a game behind in eighth with Washington six back. The Nets could slip into the play-in during the remaining regular season games.

The return of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving makes them a different team. The Nets are title contenders with both stars fully healthy. The second-seeded Raptors would not have been excited to take on a full-strength Brooklyn squad in the first round by any means.

It appears both superstars will not play, though. Durant officially ruled himself out. Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Friday that Irving could come to Orlando to be with the team, but will not play after undergoing shoulder surgery in March.

The Nets will be underdogs in the first round of the playoffs if they get there without their two stars. Brooklyn will be gearing up for a title run next season when both superstars should be back healthy, though.

The Nets are in the Eastern Conference, so the impact on the Mavericks in the playoff is minimal. The only way the two teams could matchup would be in the NBA Finals. Still, it is one less team in the hunt to win it all in Orlando which boosts Dallas’ odds slightly.

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