What’s missing in the New York borough of Brooklyn

Listen, trees will still be growing in Brooklyn, there will always be lots of churches, Sandy Coney Island will never let go of its ageless rides, Nathans Famous, will still be loading tons of mustard on hot dogs, the Brooklyn Cyclones, the Single-A team of the New York Mets, play there, pack the place, and are staying.

Don’t get me started. I was born and raised in this borough, one of five in New York, and I go back so far, it’s amazing what people that live here have been through and not been through, like for instance the only time a professional sports franchise with Brooklyn listed on its jersey won a world championship it was the 1957 Brooklyn Dodgers.

That’s it. Now the New York Knickerbockers have won a pair of NBA titles, but they play in Manhattan, another borough. The New York Islanders’ NHL team has won four Stanley Cups, but played in Long Island. They did play in Brooklyn at the Barclay Center for two years, but now they’re at their new home just north of the borough of Queens.

Ages ago there was the Brooklyn Devils of the National Roller Derby Indoor League who played in the arena on Eastern Parkway, but who knows if titles they won were world beaters that made headlines, were watched on TV, and the answer is half true. These Devils were seen on black and white television and sometimes made the sports pages, especially in the Brooklyn Eagle.

And as we continue to stroll down what was once, population-wise, the third largest area in the country, and a huge sign said this at the Brooklyn side of the Verazzano Bridge.

In 1957, Brooklyn lost its finest franchise when the baseball Dodgers left behind Ebbets Field for Los Angeles. This had been the small, but beloved fan-friendly ballpark with the tall right field fence, and rain or shine, the place with just 32,000 capacity, would be packed, and if it was raining, these die-hard fans would hang out until the game was called.

All that’s history, never to be seen again. The Mets initially played in Upper Manhattan at the Polo Grounds until Shea Stadium in Queens became their home. And when Shea came down, up came Citi Field right next to it in Flushing Meadow, where right past the elevated train is the ramp to the National Tennis Center where individual worldwide championships are won, but it, too, is not in Brooklyn.

But now we get to the chase, where this ride through Brooklyn became a thought. Yes, Brooklyn pro basketball fans of the team that plays under the shiny, bright lights of the Barclay Center on Flatbush Avenue, you have the Nets, the nomads of professional sports who have traveled and traveled to perhaps make this the time for the franchise to finally win an NBA title.

They won twice, both times at the Nassau Veterans Coliseum in Long Island, but that was in the red, white and blue ABA league, and where they went from the Jersey Americans to the New Jersey Nets, to the Long Island Nets, and now they thought that in Brooklyn they could piece together a championship.

Three, it took three reasons why — Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. They first looked like the trio to hoist the championship trophy, winning eight of their first 11, but outside the arenas, there were problems.

Durant was fine, he was playing like one of the NBA’s best players, but Harden kept picking up injuries and Irving decided he would not take the COVID-19 vaccine, which meant he was not allowed to play home games at Barclay but could play on the road.

Great, Durant, who had become the main man of the terrific trio, has been sidelined with a knee injury for over a month, Irving has been up-and-down after showing up for practices on the road but not allowed to at home, and Harden is currently injured and scored only four points in the recent loss at the hapless Sacramento Kings, the sixth straight for these Nets.

Oops, then came No. 7, Thursday’s 125-102 setback at the Utah Jazz, plus it is a game-time guessing game in looking up Brooklyn’s lineup. Harden’s injuries are not made up, they come from a player who handles the ball, sets up the offense, tosses in outside shots, and penetrates like he’s in battle. Defensively, there’s no lack of energy as he picks off passes and continues to run the floor.

Durant? No idea of when he will return. He may or may not play in the All-Star game, and if he does, it means he will also soon be back with the Nets. He is the complete big man, shoots the 3, drives to the basket, dishes off passes, and does his share on defense.

Irving? Well, not getting the vaccine is up to him, personal reasons or otherwise, and without it he deprives his team of having him in its lineup home and away. And when Brooklyn hits the road, Irving gets in some practices and provides a lift with his many skills, but there’s no doubt he would be more of a threat playing home and away.

Once ahead of the Eastern Conference pack with quality performances from the likes of sharpshooter Patty Mills, 6-foot-11 veteran big man Lamarcus Aldridge, 6-9 veteran Blake Griffin, and others, but with starting 6-6 outside shooter Joe Harris still recovering from ankle surgery.

And after being as much as five games in front of the Philadelphia 76ers in the East Division, they now stand a pair of games behind Phlly at 29-23, and with the Toronto Raptors 2 1/2 games behind, with the Boston Celtics still in the hunt at 29-25 and three games from the lead.

Overall, the Nets are sixth in the conference, four games in back of the 33-19  Chicago Bulls.

Also ahead of them are the Miami Heat at 33-20 and a half-game behind the Windy City franchise, the Cleveland Cavaliers at 32-21 and tied with the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks at one and one-half games from the lead, Next comes the 76ers at 31-21 and two games behind, followed by Toronto, Boston and the 28-25 Charlotte Hornets.

There’s more of a mess as Brooklyn fades. Some reports have the Nets okaying a trade involving Harden, with the Philadelphia 76ers the most interested. The name of Ben Simmons has been mentioned in the deal, but that’s a joke. Simmons has been a joke. With all the talent he was supposed to have, the 6-6 Simmons has been a whiner, one who hates to attend practices, and him for a multi-talented Harden is simply a ha ha ha, don’t do it, Nets.

I mean, to trade Harden would be calling it quits, no NBA championship, not even any more thoughts of it, and what about the others on the roster, what are they to think, like are we calling it in, are we playing to keep out of the playoffs? And those Brooklyn fans who were hoping to finally celebrate an NBA championship and bring this borough what’s been missing.

But there’s only one way to go now and that’s to get back in gear instead of turning in seven straight setbacks. Who ever thought this could exist with this trio?

Well, right now it’s just too bad this isn’t the trio at their disposal. The three have played together only eight times, minus Durant, Irving and Harden have played together 17 times. Now Durant is still sidelined, but is the Eastern Conference All-Star game captain and received a load of votes, and Harden was named to the team as a reserve.

And you would want to trade an All-Star like Harden? Give me a break, I’m Brooklyn bred and for years and years I covered this franchise as a sportswriter and for years and years, rooted for it. But his is sad, especially for those that had the Nets winning it all. That was then, this is now.

And now I do what I feel is the thing to do. Bye, bye 2022 Nets, still no title for the borough of Brooklyn. If I’m wrong, good, but heck, its taken all this time to accomplish this so currently it remains doubtful.