Duke, Nets and World Cancer Day

It was a quiet Saturday, but I got to watch a lot of basketball. 

I watched parts of a number of games, but most noticeably, Duke vs UNC and Nets/Wizards. 

Let's start with the college rivalry. We will get to the Nets. 

Neither of the North Carolina teams separated by 10 miles are having a great year. Neither are currently ranked in the top 25. 

That being said, whenever the two schools play in basketball, it's always a hyped up and often a very competitive game. This was no different. It came down to the final few minutes with the team from Durham getting the win at home in Cameron Indoor. 

The rivalry has been back and forth over the years. Last year, the two teams split the regular season matchups for UNC came away victorious in the Final Four. 

This was the first of two meetings this year. They will meet in Chapel Hill later in the season. 

It's one of the best rivalries in sports. To me, it's right up there with Yankees/Red Sox and Lakers/Celtics. 

Now, let's get to the Nets....

Boy is there a lot to talk about. 

On Friday, Kyrie Irving was once again in the news, and once again it wasn't good. 

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, Irving has requested a trade before Thursday's trade deadline, or will leave this summer in free agency. 

Breaking: Brooklyn Nets All-Star Kyrie Irving has requested a trade, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The franchise has been informed that Irving prefers to move on ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline – or will leave in free agency in July.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2023

It's always something with Kyrie. 

As for the game today, the Nets came back from down 23 points to defeat the Wizards. Irving was out as he was on the injury report with what was called a calf injury. Interesting timing. I'll leave it at that.  

Also out for the Nets was Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons with injuries. They had 10 active players when the game began. Towards the end of the game, the Nets have eight players to use as Markieff Morris and Seth Curry both went out with injuries. 

Cam Thomas put the team on his back with 44 points off the bench in 29 minutes to help lead the comeback win. 

I've written about the Nets dysfunction before. They are tough to root for. I'll still be loyal but they don't make it easy. 

That being said, today's win, even being a random February regular season win, is special. The players who were there overcame adversity, ignored the distractions as best they could, and played for each other. That's a character building win. 

Winning is about the team, not one person. It's about a culture and having the right pieces to fit that culture. That's what the Nets need to figure out. 

I don't see Kyrie on the team much longer. I don't see how you can keep him. 

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On a different topic, today is World Cancer Day. We think about those who have lost their battle to this awful disease, those who have beaten it, and those who are currently fighting. It's also about those who have supported the people directly impacted. So many people have been touched by Cancer and it's had an effect on people even if they were not directly impacted.