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The collection now shifts from the 2 video games in Boston to play the following two video games in Brooklyn. The Celtics lead the collection 2-0. The Celtics gained the primary sport 115-114 on a final second layup by Jayson Tatum. They fell behind by as many as 17 factors in sport 2 and have been behind by 5 factors going into the 4th quarter. The Celtics then outscored the Nets 29-17 within the 4th quarter to return away with a 114-107 win.
Kevin Durant has struggled in each of the video games performed in Boston. He shot 9-14 in Recreation 1 after which adopted that up with 4-17 capturing in Recreation 2. Jayson Tatum and the Celtics protection have harassed him at each flip and made all the pieces very tough for him. Each Durant and Steve Nash have spoken out concerning the Celtics physicality in each of the video games to date. I’m positive they’re hoping for extra free throws for Durant, though I’m undecided how that’s attainable since he shot 20 free throws in Recreation 2.
The Celtics ought to really feel some urgency despite being up 2-0 within the collection. I do know the statistics favor the workforce that’s up 2-0, however the Celtics can’t rely on these statistics from previous groups. The Nets are 0-12 all time when falling behind 0-2 in a finest of seven collection. The Celtics are 40-1 all time when main a collection 2-0. Within the first spherical, 188 groups have gotten a 2-0 lead within the collection. Of these 176 groups went on to win the collection and 12 groups got here again from 0-2 to advance. The Celtics can’t get complacent and anticipate to win simply because statistics say they need to. In the event that they do, they could very nicely be a part of the 12 groups that didn’t advance after being up 2-0.
The Celtics may get a lift on this sport with the return of Robert Williams, who has been out since March 27 when he suffered a partial tear of the meniscus. He has gone via the final 2 practices 5 on 5 with no ache. He’s formally listed as questionable however the plan is for him to play restricted minutes on this sport after which if that goes nicely, he’ll resume a extra substantial function in Recreation 4. I’m going to guess that they convey him off the bench to ease him again in for his restricted minutes and so I’ve included Daniel Theis within the beginning lineup.
For the Nets, Joe Harris stays out for the season with the ankle damage. Blake Griffin has joined the damage listing as questionable with an ankle sprain. That shouldn’t have an effect on the workforce by hook or by crook since he hasn’t been of their rotation since a while in March. Ben Simmons is predicted to return to play in Recreation 4 and is listed as out for this sport. Simmons ought to give them one other defender, however after being out since final yr’s playoffs and never having performed with this workforce earlier than, I’m undecided how a lot he’ll be capable of assist them.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Derrick White
Luke Kornet
Sam Hauser
Aaron Nesmith
Malik Fitts
Grant Williams
Juwan Morgan
Nick Stauskas
Accidents
Robert Williams (knee) questionable
Head Coach
Ime Udoka
Possible Nets Starters
Nets Reserves
LaMarcus Aldridge
Nic Claxton
Goran Dragic
Patty Mills
Day’Ron Sharpe
Cam Thomas
Accidents
Joe Harris (ankle) out
Ben Simmons (again) out
Blake Griffin (ankle) questionable
Head Coach
Steve Nash
Key Matchups
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Jayson Tatum
Picture by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Photographs
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Kevin Durant
Picture by Sarah Stier/Getty Photographs
Jayson Tatum vs Kevin Durant
As within the first two video games, Jayson Tatum vs Kevin Durant is the important thing matchup for this sport. Tatum and the Celtics have finished a masterful job of defending Durant to date. He has shot a mixed 13-41 within the first two video games and has turned the ball over 6 occasions in every sport. That is the primary time in his profession the place he has shot underneath 40% and turned the ball over 6 occasions in consecutive video games. He has vowed to determine it out and play significantly better on this sport. The Celtics have to be prepared for any changes the Nets make to attempt to get Durant again on monitor.
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Marcus Good
Picture by Maddie Meyer/Getty Photographs
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Kyrie Irving
Picture by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE through Getty Photographs
Marcus Good vs Kyrie Irving
Together with Durant, Kyrie Irving is vital for the Nets play. Kyrie went off for 39 within the first sport however was held to simply 10 factors within the second sport. After Recreation 2, he was very complementary to the Celtics, Ime Udoka and Brad Stevens. Whether or not that was his means of giving up on the Nets, or only a slam on his teammates and coaches, I’m undecided. The Celtics have to be prepared for the Nets to make changes to attempt to unlock Kyrie to have one other huge sport within the collection.
Honorable Point out
Ime Udoka vs Steve Nash
A lot has been product of the teaching matchup on this collection. Ime Udoka served as an assistant coach underneath Steve Nash final season and has been a few steps forward of him in each video games to date. Nash has been criticized by many of the commentators and sports activities writers for not having a greater offensive techniques. He has additionally been criticized for not making changes within the collection. I’m positive none of that’s misplaced on him and he’ll doubtless attempt to make some changes and look to attempt to beat the Celtics protection. Then again, Ime has the Celtics enjoying at an extremely excessive stage, particularly on protection. Will Ime proceed to personal this matchup in Recreation 3?
Keys to the Recreation
Protection – Protection is at all times the important thing to profitable, and much more so within the playoffs. The Celtics protection on Durant and Kyrie has been wonderful within the first 2 video games. Nonetheless, the Celtics protection has not been nearly as good because it may very well be. Video games 1 and a couple of have been the 4th and sixth worst defensive video games within the final 18 for the Celtics. They allowed 115.1 factors vs the 105.3 factors that they allowed between Christmas and the tip of the season. Getting Robert Williams again ought to assist to tighten up their protection, however each participant must make protection a precedence.
Rebound – In an effort to rating, the Celtics want the ball and to get the ball, they might want to crash the boards as a workforce. Rebounding provides them further possessions and second probability factors. The Celtics out-rebounded the Nets 43-29 in Recreation 1 however in Recreation 2, each groups had 36 rebounds. Within the first half the place the Celtics have been behind by as many as 17 factors, the Nets out-rebounded the Celtics. However, within the second half, when the Celtics surged forward, the Celtics out-rebounded the Nets 26-13. A lot of rebounding is effort and the Celtics must put out that further effort for the complete sport to beat the Nets on the boards.
Keep Centered and Play Onerous – The Celtics want to return out centered and able to play exhausting from the opening tip till the ultimate buzzer. The Celtics lacked focus within the first half of Recreation 2. They missed 6 free throws and appeared a step late on rebounds, unfastened balls, and on protection, permitting the Nets to shoot 60% from the sphere and 50% from past the arc. Within the second half, the Celtics got here out extra centered and performed tougher and held the Nets to 30.6% from the sphere and crashed the boards to out-rebound the Nets. The Celtics should keep centered all through this sport as if they’ve a nasty quarter and fall behind as they did in Recreation 2, it is going to be a lot tougher to return again on the highway. They usually should play exhausting for 48 minutes.
Don’t Be Over-Assured – The Celtics are up 2-0, however they haven’t gained something but. They’re enjoying on the highway and in entrance of a hostile crowd. They’re enjoying towards a really harmful workforce with two of the very best scorers within the league. The Celtics should are available and play as if their backs are towards the wall and they should work tougher than the Nets and never underestimate the Nets in any means. In the event that they lose this sport, the Nets are proper again within the collection with some momentum and confidence and so the Celtics should take a look at this as a should win sport and play like it’s Recreation 7.
X-Elements
On the Highway – The Celtics had a really loud crowd behind them in Video games 1 and a couple of. The gang undoubtedly affected Kyrie and helped to encourage and push the Celtics to the 2 wins they received there. Now they are going to be in a hostile enviornment the place the cheers will likely be for Kyrie and KD slightly than towards them and the Nets will achieve some motivation and encouragement from their followers. Can the Celtics block out the distractions of enjoying on the highway and keep centered on the sport?
The Return of Timelord – Robert Williams is predicted to play restricted minutes on this sport. This could give the workforce a lift and assist their protection to get again to the elite stage that they have been at earlier than he was injured. Will he choose up proper the place he left off? Will he want a while to get again to the athleticism that made him so particular? Will his return require some changes from the gamers who’ve been filling in for him? Will he return to the beginning lineup or come off the bench and can that have an effect on his play?
Officiating – The officiating can at all times be an x-factor and perhaps extra so on this sport. To this point within the first two video games of the collection, the officers have referred to as a median of 52.5 fouls mixed per sport. Within the common season, they averaged simply 38.9 fouls mixed per sport. Kevin Durant alone took 20 free throws in Recreation 2. Nash and Durant have each made statements about how bodily the Celtics have performed the Nets to date and that might trigger them to tighten up much more. Some referees name the sport tight and others allow them to play. Some favor the house workforce and others name it evenly. Some refs simply appear to have an agenda that doesn’t match the play on the court docket. I wouldn’t be shocked if the league would wish to stretch this collection out with some assist from the officers. The Celtics should play via nevertheless the refs name the sport, whether or not it’s tight or they allow them to play. They will’t enable unhealthy calls or no calls to remove their concentrate on the sport.
DraftKings
According to our friends at DraftKings, the Celtics are three-point underdogs in Brooklyn for Recreation 3. With the razor skinny margins in each video games in Boston, that isn’t a shock. Video games 1 and a couple of have been determined by x-factors. Within the opener, Boston’s measurement (and clearly, a Tatum sport winner) was a problem for the Nets; the Celtics grabbed 14 offensive rebounds to Brooklyn’s 5 and outscored them within the paint 56 to 32. Within the second sport, Grant Williams’ scorching capturing within the first half adopted by Payton Pritchard’s within the second buoyed a comeback effort from a 17-point deficit.
Brooklyn’s bump within the odds is coming from their house court docket benefit, nevertheless it’s exhausting to low cost the anticipated return of Robert Williams even when it’s at Barclay’s Heart. The Celtics protection has been ferocious towards the Nets’ two superstars and it will probably solely get higher with the free security addition of Time Lord.
Nonetheless, what we haven’t seen on this first spherical collection but is each Durant and Irving going nuclear collectively. It’s technically not a must-win sport clearly, however an 0-3 gap with fewer days of relaxation now heading into Recreation 4 doesn’t bode nicely for the 30+ duo.
All odds are correct on the time and date of publishing.
Take a look at DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook associate of SB Nation.
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