2022 East First Round – Page 4

Could Nets star Kevin Durant’s diminished performances vs. the Boston Celtics simply be due to exhaustion?

Brooklyn had to lean on the veteran star hard just to get to the seventh seed — never mind beat Boston’s elite defense.

Could one of the biggest reasons why the Boston Celtics are currently up two games to none in their first-round playoff series to the Brooklyn Nets have one of the most simple explanations that exist in the world of sport? Per ESPN senior writer Brian Windhorst, that very well might be the case.

Windhorst was recently on ESPN’s “Get Up” to talk about what has been happening in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, and when it came to the Nets – Celtics series, the ESPN analyst had a simple theory: fatigue. The Nets had to fight their way back from a terrible record incurred while superstar forward Kevin Durant was out injured and teammate Kyrie Irving could not man the point full time due to his personal choices.

This put the Nets in a position to need to play both heavy minutes for the 10 final games of the season and a play-in tournament game to boot, only to face a defense created to tire players like Durant out.

Check out the clip embedded above to hear Windhorst and the rest of the crew from “Get Up” share their theories on what is besetting the Nets.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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How the Boston Celtics can make the 2022 NBA Finals

After going up 2 – 0 on the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, some see big things in Boston’s future.

After winning their second game in a row against the Brooklyn Nets in their first-round series with their Atlantic Division opponents on Wednesday, the odds of the Boston Celtics coming out of the NBA’s Eastern Conference in the 2022 NBA Playoffs are looking better than ever.

And it is not just luck or a coincidence that the Celtics are in the position they are in either — their excellent play and savvy adjustments have analysts starting to think representing the East in the 2022 NBA Eastern Conference Finals might not be this team’s postseason ceiling now that Boston is up 2 – 0 over the Nets.

One such analyst is the producer of the video embedded below, YouTuber Alex Hoops. Check out his clip describing why he believes that the Celtics should be seen as likely to make the 2022 NBA Finals, and even have what it takes to win it all.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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‘Ime showed his poise; he didn’t panic,’ says Boston’s Jaylen Brown of what drove Celtics’ win over Nets in Game 2

“Credit to Ime, he didn’t panic,” said Brown. “We weren’t playing as well in the first half — we stuck with it and found a way to win.”

The Boston Celtics looked like they were going to get run off of their own home floor early on in Game 2 of their first-round series with the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night, their Atlantic Division rivals going up 17 points on them in the first half as the Celtics came out flat and uninspired on defense, and muddled and overly ISO-heavy on offense.

But as the first half wound down, they cut the lead to 10 and got things under control, using their focus, confidence, and trust to come out strong and gut out their second win in a row over Brooklyn. Star forward Jaylen Brown had plenty of praise for his head coach Ime Udoka as well as his teammates for an impressive comeback that put Boston up 2 – 0 in the series.

“Most importantly, Ime showed his poise — he didn’t panic,” explained Brown.

WHile some saw reasons for concern with the close win, these two only feel better after Boston’s Game 1 victory. https://t.co/xEvYxLZwvu

— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 21, 2022

Payton Pritchard highlights: Celtics guard helps secure comeback win vs. Nets in Game 2 with 10 points, 5-of-7 shooting

True to his word, Fast PP stayed ready and came up big for Boston.

After Game 1, Boston Celtics reserve guard Payton Pritchard was asked how he was adjusting to his shrunken role in the postseason rotation in the Celtics’ first-round series with the Brooklyn Nets, and the West Linn native replied that he was ready to make the most of whatever opportunity came his way.

In Game 2, Pritchard did precisely that. A key part of the second-half comeback that put Boston up 2 – 0 over Brooklyn, the Oregon product had seen just 3 minutes of play in Game 1 — scoring 3 points — but saw his number called in the following contest, putting up a critical 10 points in 16 minutes of playing time while going a sizzling 5-of-7 from the field.

Check out Fast PP’s best plays from the Game 2 win over the Nets in the video embedded below while we wait for Game 3 to roll around on Friday.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Celtics injury update: Boston’s Robert Williams III, Nets’ Ben Simmons progressing towards returns, not ready yet

A cloud — likely intentional — hangs over exactly when either will return.

The question of which team — if either is — happens to be playing coy with the health of their injured big man starter in the 2022 NBA Playoffs East first-round series between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets could very well prove critical to the outcome of the series. It could also prove to be a footnote in league postseason history if neither Boston’s Robert Williams III and Brooklyn’s Ben Simmons do not take the floor in the first round.

However, we are getting hints about the relative health of each, with Simmons’ return by Game 4 described as a “realistic target” in a new article by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Timelord being described as having progressed to 3-on-3 play in practice.

Still, both coaches suggest such a return may not be in the offing, at least as soon as some have expected, with Nets coach Steve Nash suggesting a Game 4 return for the former 76er was “news to me” and Celtics coach Ime Udoka reiterating that Williams was not expected back this series.

Celtics Lab 104: What Game 1 of Brooklyn Nets-Boston Celtics can tell us about the rest of the series with Ajayi Browne https://t.co/wd5JZeeYXy via @thecelticswire pic.twitter.com/yuYNUVt3Yu

— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 20, 2022

Boston, for their part, feel familiar enough with what Simmins can do after having faced him in postseason environments multiple times — and in Udoka’s case, coached him in them — that they believe will happen in Brooklyn.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Boston’s Grant WIlliams says the Celtics’ ‘advantage is huge’ with home court boost fans provide

The Tennessee product knows the team needs to protect home court moving forward to keep it, though.

The Boston Celtics have had their home crowd as a weapon against opposing teams nearly as long as they have existed, and the present-day iteration of the team certainly isn’t an exception, with the home crowd at TD Garden unleashing a deafening roar in the Celtics Game 1 win over the Brooklyn Nets this past Sunday afternoon.

And while there may not be any scientific data out there to back up the Garden crowd noise levels as a component to winning, it certainly helped provide a psychological boost to Boston, which forward Grant Williams spoke about with the press on Tuesday afternoon.

“Our fans know they’re some of the best in the league honestly, because not only are they going to rip the other team but they’re going to have our back through it,” explained the Charlotte native.

2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart credits trust, his basketball IQ for the defense that won him the award https://t.co/5JDWjUttby

— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 19, 2022

‘We’re watching a true superstar blossom in front of us,’ says Bulls champ BJ Armstrong of Jayson Tatum

The three-time Chicago champ thinks Taco Jay is about to take over.

By now it is clear that the postseason fate of the Boston Celtics is tied in large part to the abilities of star forward Jayson Tatum. His leap to a borderline Most Valuable Player-level talent has raised the ceiling of the Celtics to a contender, so long as the St. Louis native plays up to his potential.

Yet, even in contests where it counts such as Game 1 in Boston’s first-round playoff series with the Brooklyn Nets, it took Tatum a bit longer than one would hope given the stakes to get his game going. Could the Duke product have a cold spell that might end the Celtics’ season early?

Three-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls BJ Armstrong is a believer in what he has seen from Tatum so far, and said as much in a recent interview on the “Rich Eisen” show.

Check out the video embedded above to hear what the Bulls champion has to say about Boston’s All-Star swingman against the Nets.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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‘You’ve got to be ready for what you get’ in Nets series, says Celtics’ Payton Pritchard

While his shorter stature may limit the time he gets vs. Brooklyn, don’t mistake Payton Pritchard’s playing time as a weakness for Boston.

As the Boston Celtics tighten up their already-tight rotation for their first-round series with the Brooklyn Nets, playing time for reserve guard Payton Pritchard has become scarce. But the West Linn native has been making the most of what he gets against the Nets, which he discussed after shootaround ahead of Game 2 with Brooklyn on Wednesday.

“I think when you come off the bench in the role I’m in, it can change the game, it can change the game, so you’ve got to be ready for what you get,– it’s not an easy job,” he explained. “Whatever you get out there, you’ve got to go out, play hard defense, knock down your shots, make plays, and you get what you get.”

“I’d rather be in this position than not playing,” he added as if to pre-empt the question of if he would like a bigger role. As the only undersized player on Boston’s roster, it is unlikely we will see more than a handful of minutes for Pritchard per game in this series due to his baked-in defensive shortcomings.

Or can we expect a more robust response to their Game 1 loss on Wednesday? https://t.co/BoRSdjojSu

— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 20, 2022

But with his ability to hit a trey or two in just a few minutes of time to provide a spark off of the bench, The Oregon product’s role is far from a frivolous one in such an evenly-matched series.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Cedric Maxwell, Chris Forsberg among those feeling more bullish about Boston beating Brooklyn

WHile some saw reasons for concern with the close win, these two only feel better after Boston’s Game 1 victory.

While some saw a glass half empty in the Boston Celtics needing a Jayson Tatum buzzer-beating layup to secure their 115 – 114 Game 1 win over the Brooklyn Nets to kick off their 2022 NBA Playoffs first-round matchup with their Atlantic Division rivals, others came away with the glass half full perspective.

Yes, it did take a near-perfect late-game execution for Boston to reclaim the lead before securing the improbable victory when time expired, but the Celtics were in control of the game for large chunks of it despite playing less than their best basketball for the majority of the contest.

Such is the perspective of NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg and Celtics broadcaster and alumnus Cedric Maxwell in a recent conversation with Phil Perry about the series moving forward.

Watch the clip embedded above to hear what the trio have to say about Nets – Celtics Game 2 and beyond.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Celtics Lab 104: What Game 1 of Brooklyn Nets-Boston Celtics can tell us about the rest of the series with Ajayi Browne

Are there any lessons to be learned from Game 1 of the series between Brooklyn and Boston?

What can Game 1 of the series between the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics potentially tell us about what might happen with the rest of the first-round series of the 2022 NBA Eastern Conference playoffs tell us about the rest of the games Boston will play against Brooklyn?

On this episode of the CLNS Media “Celtics Lab” podcast, we brought on Ajayi Browne of Nets Daily to dissect the buzzer-beating win and see how much of what we saw in Game 1 that could have bearing on the contests to follow in the NBA Finals-like atmosphere we saw on Sunday afternoon.

Will Kyrie continue to be a lights-out marksman from everywhere on the floor? Can the Celtics keep Kevin Durant from becoming one as well? Will Boston anticipate Brooklyn’s adjustments in Game 2? And when do we think each team’s bigs will be back, anyway?

Check out the clip embedded above to hear all Browne and your usual hosts Justin Quinn, Cameron Tabatabaie, and Alex Goldberg have to say about what they expect to see in the series moving forward.

We even have a healthy debate on whether your 2022 Kia Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart truly deserved the honor (spoiler: he does).

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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