Duke Brotherhood Playoff Watch: Brooklyn Rolls Over Milwaukee, Denver Falls In Game One To Phoenix

In Monday’s round of the Duke Brotherhood Playoff Watch, Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets just crushed the Milwaukee Bucks, 125-86, while the Phoenix Suns went up 1-0 on Austin Rivers and the Denver Nuggets with a 122-105 win.

Irving had 22 points and six assists as the Nets held the Bucks to 44 percent from the floor and star Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to 18 points and generally outplayed by Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant, who finished with 32 points on 12-18 shooting including 4-6 on three pointers.

Rivers had seven points in 31 minutes in Denver’s loss.

As you’ll remember, he had a disagreement with his previous team, the New York Knicks, and ultimately they cut him loose. He was traded to Oklahoma City, then Denver picked him up on a 10-day contract and now he’s a starter. That’s pretty damned impressive.

On Tuesday, Seth Curry and the 76ers try to even up the series with Atlanta, having gone down 1-0, and Luke Kennard and the LA Clippers open the series with Quin Snyder’s Utah Jazz.

Unless we’re missing something, the only way a member of the Brotherhood wouldn’t compete for the championship would be if Milwaukee and Phoenix met in the finals. That counts Quin Snyder as a coach and Cam Reddish of Atlanta.

Reddish has been out since February with an Achilles injury but he’s nearly back and might be able to return to action during the playoffs, although it would probably be a limited role.

• NBA Playoffs: Nets’ Kyrie Irving Speaks After Win Over Bucks
• Daryl Morey, 76ers hit with tampering fines because of a two-word tweet
• NBA Slaps Morey, 76ers With Huge Fine Over Curry Tampering Charge
• Hawks: Cam Reddish could be nearing a return
• Hawks’ Cam Reddish: Remains out due to Achilles injury
• Hawks: Cam Reddish full participant in practice, closing in on return
• Denver Nuggets drop Game 1 to Phoenix Suns behind ‘soft second half’