Today, the Nets were killed by Tatum 114-115, ushering in the playoffs. The fact that second in the East wins seventh in the East isn't a surprise, but when the protagonist turns into the Nets, it can't be discussed in conventional thinking. There is no doubt that this Nets is regarded as a championship team and one of the dark horses that will counterattack in the playoffs. The taste of being killed is not good, which shows that in the 5 seconds before the final game, the Nets are still the winning team, but Tatum changed this ending, and Tatum easily obtained the opportunity to layup in the empty position by relying on the empty cut, which is almost the epitome of this game.
The Nets' defense was ruthlessly ravaged by the Celtics, and with the exception of Drummond, the other four starters were almost all defensive colanders, and the phrase "defense wins the championship" was mentioned again. Including Durant and Bruce Brown, in front of the highly disciplined green shirts, they are the Nets' defensive weak rings. Solving defensive problems naturally reminds people of the young All-Star sitting on the bench , Simmons. According to ESPN, the Nets have made it clear to Simmons that the team wants him to make a comeback in the series' G5 or G6, a desire that has intensified after today's loss. Even if Simmons needs to control playing time after his return, the Nets still hope that he can play. The Simmons camp has not made a clear statement, and they are more inclined to return next season. Because it would be more convenient for them to file a 76ers fine with the players' union to recover Simmons' withheld wages.
After Simmons moved to the Nets, he has been committed to recovering his salary, and psychological problems have become his shield, so that the 76ers have no right to fine him. However, Simmons's refusal to fight was boiling over, and this matter may not be able to do as Simmons wished. Once Simmons plays, his size can be limited to Tatum and he has an advantage in the overall squad. Brown, who performed poorly in the regular season, has been greatly limited as the intensity of the playoffs has increased, and if Simmons can replace Brown, whether it is offensive or defensive, Durant and Irving can be greatly liberated. Simmons' attitude was a problem, and the 76ers dumped him into the hands of the Nets.
In fact, the Nets should not be pessimistic about today's game results. On the contrary, it gives the Nets an optimistic signal that the Nets can still take the initiative in the game despite Durant's poor performance. Durant shot 9-of-24 and had 23 points, four rebounds and three assists, well below his playoff average. In the chasing phase of the fourth quarter, Durant only had 5 points and 1 assist, and Durant did not give the fire support he deserved in the final moments. Durant after the big injury, more rely on the historical level of shooting feel to complete the offensive end, today Durant did not score in the paint, this is not only Durant's personal choice problem, but also the Greenshirts defense caused. Against Durant, the Celtics used last year's Bucks method, allowing players who are more stable in the next game to stick to Durant, so that Durant can not freely control the posture of the body, so as to achieve a defensive effect.
So, Nash should probably re-assign the tactics for Durant, not simply to receive the ball near the paint, but to increase the proportion of runs appropriately. From another point of view, if it were not for Irving's supernatural performance, the Nets would not have had the opportunity to close the score, which should also sound the alarm for the Nets. Looking at Irving's playoff resume, his stability is not high, the Nets can't expect Irving to always be the savior of the team, durant can't come up with such a performance again, otherwise the Nets' series prospects are not optimistic.
In addition to the twin star combinations of Tatum and Brown, Smart and Horford also scored 20 points, which is the answer given by the Nets' overall defense, and if this defensive performance is maintained, then the Nets should not expect to be able to beat the Greenshirts.