Steve Nash Is Being Exposed Against Boston

NEW YORK – So now we all know why the Celtics didn’t exit of the best way to keep away from the Nets within the first spherical, didn’t kick away the season finale (hello, Milwaukee), didn’t sweat the outcomes of the play-in like a excessive schooler does the SAT. Brooklyn had star energy, however no system. An explosive offense that, because it seems, didn’t have a prayer in opposition to the NBA’s stingiest protection.

Boston took Sport 3 of its first-round sequence in opposition to Brooklyn, grabbing a commanding 3–0 lead. The primary quarter was shut. Jayson Tatum acquired scorching for the Celtics. Kyrie Irving and Bruce Brown carried the Nets. Each groups shot 50% from the ground. After a back-and-forth second quarter, Boston went into the locker room up three.

The Nets ought to have stayed there. Two minutes into the third, the Celtics swelled the result in 10. Brooklyn clawed its manner again a number of instances. Brown, the Boston-born guard, scored a team-high 26. Nic Claxton added 13 factors and 7 rebounds off the bench. However the Nets have been greedy. Late within the third quarter, Steve Nash inserted Blake Griffin, who had not performed a significant minute in additional than a month. Griffin knocked down a pair of threes and two free throws in his eight minutes. He was additionally hunted relentlessly on the defensive finish and completed his stint a minus-four.

“It’s disappointing,” Steve Nash stated. “Clearly we didn’t play an excellent recreation.”

The Celtics at the moment are one win away from advancing and this group appears poised to make a run. Boston’s protection is choking. They compelled 21 turnovers on Saturday, scoring 37 factors off them. Irving completed with 16 factors, lacking all seven of his threes. Durant’s closing stat line appears respectable—16 factors, eight rebounds, eight assists—however for the third straight recreation Durant regarded pedestrian. Halfway by way of the second quarter, he had three discipline purpose makes an attempt. He didn’t crack double figures till deep into the third. After trying 20 free throws in Sport 2, Durant didn’t rise up his first try till late within the fourth.

“Only a shitty recreation, man,” stated Durant. “Shitty recreation.”

What’s the deal? Durant has performed in dozens of playoff sequence in his profession. This one could also be his worst. He dedicated 5 turnovers in Sport 3, the third straight recreation he has kicked away 5 or extra. He was outscored within the first half by Payton Pritchard. Brown tried eight extra pictures than him. After failing to make a shot within the second half of Sport 2, Durant didn’t have an official try over the ultimate 11 minutes of Sport 3.

“I’m simply considering an excessive amount of, to be trustworthy,” stated Durant. “This complete sequence … the primary two video games, I used to be making an attempt to be too aggressive. A group is loading up on me, taking me out of all my actions, I felt like was making an attempt to power it. My method to this recreation was to play off of everyone. Get within the circulate of the offense. Let the ball transfer and discover me … I felt that we had an excellent circulate.”

A few of that is on Durant. He needs to be higher. However his coach isn’t serving to. “I don’t assume fatigue has set in,” stated Durant. OK. However Durant performed 46 minutes on Saturday. He performed 42 in Sport 2 and 41 in Sport 1. Within the final six video games of the common season, Durant averaged 42. Boston is sending waves of bodily defenders at Durant, from Tatum to Jaylen Brown to Grant Williams. They’re sapping Durant’s vitality. And Nash continues to depart him on the ground.

The most important mismatch of this sequence is within the teaching field. Ime Udoka is dominating. That is Phil Jackson vs. John Calipari. Joe Torre vs. Grady Little. Invoice Parcells vs. Wealthy Kotite. It’s develop into embarrassing. Brooklyn’s offense is a gentle food plan of isolations. Motion is minimal. They set screens to create switches, however in these conditions Boston’s protection doesn’t miss a beat. Accidents to Ben Simmons and Joe Harris have crippled Brooklyn’s depth however 5 minutes of Cam Thomas within the second quarter can’t be worse than watching a visibly exhausted Durant fumble by way of the ultimate minutes.

Nash’s job safety wasn’t in query coming into this sequence. Now it might be a miracle if he survived it.

Boston will survive, will advance and the query turns into—who would you prefer to beat them? “We play each side of the ball aggressively,” Brown stated. “That is what we like, that is what we take delight in.” Tatum broke out of a mini scoring droop to attain 39 factors in Sport 3. Brown (23 factors) typically appears like the following finest participant on the ground. Marcus Good continues to thrive as a playmaker and Williams’s physicality has made an affect. Robert Williams, the Celtics’ defensive anchor, made his return following a monthlong absence from knee surgical procedure and performed 16 pain-free minutes.

“Getting Rob again is large for our group,” stated Tatum. “I may be Rob’s largest fan.”

The Nets tried to strike an optimistic tone after the sport. “It’s about our character now,” Nash stated. “About digging deep and having delight.” Ben Simmons is prone to make his debut in Sport 4 however … come on. No group has come again from a 3–0 deficit and Brooklyn doesn’t appear like it will likely be the primary. The Nets gave the impression to be the boogeyman coming into the postseason. The Celtics are one win away from slaying it. 

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