Professionalism is Rare
Kyrie Irving netted a game-high 39 points to lead a Brooklyn comeback, but it fell short in the end as Boston used a team effort to down the Nets at the buzzer. Kevin Durant shot 9-24 from the floor as the Celtics flexed their muscles against Brooklyn to take an early series lead. One of the most highly anticipated series in the first round lived up to all the hype, and if this game is a sign of what is to come, the NBA world is in for one legendary series. Irving's antics took center stage in the first game as Boston's fans continued to get into the head of one of the most hated athletes in Boston sports history. If Brooklyn wants to have a shot to beat the deep Boston Celtics, both of its superstars have to not only play well in the same game, they have to play great. While the Nets came back to almost seal Game 1, it was all for nothing as Boston continues to demonstrate why it should be considered among this seasons' championship contenders.
C/O: Getty Images
Following a stellar performance in the first contest of the series, Marcus Smart spoke about the final play, stating, "That’s a big confidence builder for us...The coach trusted us to go out there and make a play and be basketball players...It was fulfilling for us, especially because of the way we started this year off, those types of games we lost...We were probably crumbling...But the resilience that we have, the approach we have, and the work we put in to make sure that doesn’t happen. And you just learn."
The final three minutes of the game really demonstrated why this Celtics team has completely shifted where they are in the standings during the second half of the season. Marcus Smart, and Derrick White both drove the basketball to the cup with vigor and purpose. White finished an acrobatic layup to tie the game at 109. This team is not all about Tatum and Brown. Both of them want to distribute the basketball to their teammates to create a better shot. Brooklyn has no choice but to give it to their two superstars when the team needs a bucket the most. Boston has other guys that are confident enough to take a shot in the biggest of moments, and the Nets lack that. While the Celtics bench did not play all that great in Game 1, the role players stepped up huge when it mattered the most in support of the creativity of Tatum and Brown.
One of the most standout performances for Boston was the 35-year-old forward who turned back the clock in the postseason to lead the Celtics to a dominant performance in the painted area. Al Horford scored 20 points to go along with a whopping 15 rebounds in 41 minutes on the floor. It was the most minutes Horford has played in a regulation game this season as the veteran reminded everyone of his days with the Atlanta Hawks. It is the second double-double that Horford has put together against the Nets in 2022. Boston is 12-3 this season when Horford finishes with double-digit points and double-digit rebounds.
C/O: AP Photo/Steven Senne
All the talk before the series began was how much Boston was going to miss Robert Williams III in the paint, but other guys found a way to step up. Brooklyn is weak on the inside, and Horford and Theis took advantage of that all night. The Celtics outrebounded the Nets 43-29, and 14-5 on the offensive end of the floor. Brooklyn had no answers for the physicality of the Celtics on the perimeter, especially in the paint. Trading Jarrett Allen last season in a deal for James Harden continues to haunt Brooklyn which still does not have a single consistent big man on its roster.
56 points in the paint for the Celtics compared to just 32 for the Nets. Boston could have scored so much more in the paint if it made some easy layups that could have given the Udoka and company a much more comfortable afternoon. If Brooklyn wants to find a way back in this series, it needs to find a solution to limit the Celtics' production down low.
It is the first time this season that the Nets shot over 51% from the field and still lost the game in the end. While Brooklyn's shot-making abilities were on display all night, it once again shows that this Nets team needs to play a nearly perfect game to beat the Celtics. Kyrie Irving outrebounded Andre Drummond on Sunday afternoon, and that is not a formula for success. Boston found the mismatches all night if it was for Tatum, Horford, or even White. This Nets' defense has massive holes in it, while the Celtics frustrated Kevin Durant to a pretty horrific shooting night. Every shot that the Nets put up was as challenging as they come. Irving made the impossible look possible with his greatness as a one-on-one player. Head coach Steve Nash will be in for a long series if he thinks Nic Claxton can guard Jayson Tatum on the perimeter.
The stars on both teams each played 40 minutes or more on Sunday and with Game 2 on Wednesday, recovery will be essential, especially for the Nets. Irving and Durant are great players, but two superstars can only get a team so far. Boston was not at its best at the Garden in Game 1, and if the entire Celtic offense can get into a flow it had for a majority of the season, Nash will have his hands full with the number of players knocking down shots. Payton Pritchard and Grant Williams were both top-20 in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage but combined for 1-5 from beyond the arc on Sunday at the Garden.
Kevin Durant will of course have improved shooting days, but Boston will also not miss this many easy two's in a single contest. If the Celtics are going to win this series, its role players are going to be a huge reason why. Boston's defense made it a tough day for Durant, and on the last possession, the Celtics showed why they are the number one defense in the league. Wednesday night at the Garden these teams will battle it out once again. There are going to be plenty of adjustments made by each team, but Game 2 may be one the most important games in the recent history of the Nets.
