The Celtics did not come to Brooklyn to laugh, and they start with a bang, to stick a… 28-2 in 6 minutes of play! Jaylen Brown quickly makes the powder speak (12 points already), and Steve Nash’s men, with many absent, pedal in semolina.
Ime Udoka pushes his people to keep going, and the baskets are easier and easier for the C’s, against a racket from Brooklyn who does not defend at all. The versts wander and the Nets’ game is completely disjointed, clueless. After a one-sided first period, the Celtics have already taken a good lead (69-43).
The Way of the Cross continues for Brooklyn, which hardly manages to put shots. The Boston collective plays its game calmly, and does not give up despite the heat stroke of Jevon Carter, imperial 3-pointer. But the playmaker is very much alone, and the last quarter looks like a huge garbage time. Coach Udoka can raise his fist, his people follow up with a sixth success in a row (126-91).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
The KO from the first round! Despite the absences, the Nets also obviously had their heads elsewhere during the first six minutes of the game as they missed their first eight shots. The Celtics took advantage of it through Jaylen Brown (12 points) to stick them with a 14-0, transformed into 28-2. Steve Nash took two quick time-outs, but these players showed a level of play close to nil.
Blake Griffin Featured. TNT originally chose this game with the prospect of airing an Eastern Conference clash. But the “Big Three” of the Nets is not there, and for its promotion, the chain had chosen to put forward… Blake Griffin! That is to say if there was really nothing to get your teeth into.
The bench of the Nets dominates the five major in scoring! With Bembry, Mills and Edwards picking it up in attack, and a Blake Griffin next to the plate, the “second unit” did a much better job than the major five: 70 points scored by the second knives against only 21 for the players of the five major! Jevon Carter (23 points including 7 3-point shots) and James Johnson (17 points) were able to stretch their legs.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Jaylen Brown. 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists in 16 minutes in the first period for the number 7 Celtics. Left free in attack, Brown blackened the sheet without forcing too much, it is not far from a triple-double with 22 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. Brown played very restrained, but also showed constant focus even when his team was leading by 30 points.
✅Robert Williams. The sprawling-armed insider is a “nonchalant fake” but he’s having a huge impact on Boston’s game. By picking up the crumbs in attack (12 points at 6/9 on shots), on rebounds with 11 catches but especially in defense by sticking three big counters to the poor Nets who had to get the ball twice in 8th place at the Barclays Center. Quietly, Williams became Boston’s paint boss.
⛔ Steve Nash. Rarely to blame this season, Steve Nash turned things upside down with a reduced squad tonight. By putting a Griffin completely on the pick-up in the five major and letting Bembry take too many liberties during the first period, the Canadian coach missed out on his management of the match. Ninth defeat in a row for his team, which is sinking a little deeper into the crisis…
THE FOLLOWING
Boston (31-25) : reception of the Nuggets this Friday
Brooklyn (29-25) : Thursday trip to Washington
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
