NBA Playoffs 2022 on Sunday, 24.04.2022
Our NBA Playoff schedule says that the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics will face each other for the first time tonight at Barclays Center in Game 3. It is now high time for the home side to turn things around.
However, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will have great problems to hold their own against the strong defence of the C’s, which is hardly recognisable compared to last year. In my Nets Celtics tip, I therefore expect Boston to win again for a reason …
Even before the start of this series, basketball fans knew that this would be a hairy affair for the Nets. Due to the departure of James Harden and various absences, the black and white team is no longer as well-positioned across the board.
The Celtics, on the other hand, were known to have developed into an absolute top team in the second half of the season precisely because of their ability to defend excellently – in the meantime, the C’s are even on the verge of winning the series.
Because after a 115:114 and a 114:107 Boston leads 2-0 after games and thus flies to New York with more than just a good feeling in the luggage, where they want to put chains on Kevin Durant again.
The Nets are more dependent than ever on Kevin Durant as a result of the departures and retirements. But he’s going through an all-time low at the worst possible time, almost unprecedented in his career.
In Game 2, Durantula was so well covered by the C’s that he couldn’t score a single shot from the field in the entire second half! In the end, the NBA icon scored 27 points, but that was only because of the many converted free throws.
Out of the game, however, KD again didn’t do much! In the two games against the C’s, the legend took 41 throws, of which only 13 found their target. That equals a lousy hitting rate of only 32% by his standards.
The Celtics’ defensive performance this year has been exceptional! The team has made spot additions and is much better than a year ago when they couldn’t contain Durant at any point.
Indeed, KD averaged 32.6 points per game against Boston in the first-round series of the 2020/21 playoffs and impressed NBA fans with a True Shooting of an unfathomable 70%. But this year, the legend is biting the dust!
The reason the Green and Whites have the Nets figured out has to do in no small part with the fact that current coach Ime Udoka was still an assistant to Steve Nash in Brooklyn last year – what a joyous coincidence.
This circumstance allows Ime Udoka to bring his experience as a Nets assistant to this series. After all, he knows exactly how to effectively double team KD and where the strengths and weaknesses of the black and whites lie.
With the crowd behind them, I would trust the New Yorkers to do a bit better this time, but on the other side, a comeback is brewing that could deal the home side a death blow.
Robert Williams III is an excellent centre who has not played for Boston since 27 March. He’ll return in Game 3 to add to Durant’s offensive struggles.
Nonetheless, the top bookmakers seem more likely to give the Black and Whites the win. That’s because with win odds of 1.68, bettors expect the Nets to cut it to 2-1 tonight.
Incidentally, the higher Nets Celtics odds for another C’s win give me another reason to trust the Green and Whites to win their third in a row – especially now that a key player is returning.
Conclusion: The C’s have found a cure for Durant! As recently as last year, KD was doing whatever he wanted with the green and whites! But the signing of former Nets assistant Ime Udoka has seemingly proven to be spot on.
The Celtics’ defence is simply outstanding. Although they commit a few too many fouls here and there, the bottom line is that they make it incredibly difficult for the opponent to fire free throws from half court.
The New Yorkers now have the home advantage, but on the other side Robert Williams III returns! If he is in form – which I assume he is – then the C’s could actually take a 3-0 lead …
My Nets Celtics tip: Boston wins again!/strong☻!
