On April 21, Beijing time, the NBA playoffs continued, and the Celtics finally reversed the Nets 114-107 with an aggregate score of 2-0 in the case of a 17-point deficit. After the game, the live broadcaster also played such a line of subtitles: After the NBA playoffs adopted a 4-win system of 7 innings, the Celtics had a 2-0 lead on 41 occasions, and they won 40 of them, only 1 of which was reversed by the opponent.
The reversal came from the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, when the Celtics lost to leBron James, then 33. Coincidentally, Durant, the nets' top player today, also happens to be 33 years old. So can Durant complete an epic reversal like James did?
Frankly speaking, whether it is from the individual competitive state of the players, or the overall situation of the team, Durant may have a hard time doing this, which is determined by 3 aspects.
First, Durant's physical fitness was obviously inferior to James's at the time. In the 2017-18 season, James played 82 regular season games, in the second half of the regular season and the playoffs, when the Cavaliers could not help, he could often play 48 minutes, such as the seven-time battle with the Celtics, James played a full 48 minutes, and finally bombed 35 points, 15 rebounds and 9 assists.
But Durant's physical strength obviously can't do this. In this game, he played 42 minutes, and in the first half, he actually performed decently, but in the second half he shot 0 directly from 10. With Celtics players taking turns and needing to hold the ball a lot, Durant's efficiency has dropped significantly. You make him crazy like James, and his physical strength is really unbearable.
Second, from the perspective of the team system, the Nets are not as good as the Cavaliers of that year. The Cavaliers had been building a one-star lineup around James at that time, and the defensive end also emphasized mobility and unlimited changes of defense, and the entire offensive and defensive system was no problem, and it could also maximize James's power. It's just that the gap between the players and the Warriors at that time is too large, so the Finals will be swept.
And the Nets? Their current staffing and tactical system still have no small problems. In particular, Durant's large number of ball-holding organizations and arc-top singles are only Durant's favorite playing style, but it is not the style of play that can maximize his efficiency. At the same time, the Nets lacked flanking height, and the defense was so problematic that there were always hopes that Simmons, who had not played a game this season, would return. This is enough to show how big the Nets have organizational and defensive problems today.
Third, from the perspective of the strength of the opponent, the strength and experience of this green army today are significantly stronger than those of them 4 years ago. James was able to turn the tables at that time, in addition to his own extreme performance, there was also an important reason, that is, the Green Army at that time lacked Irving and Hayward, and the double probe flower who replaced them as a temporary leader, although the performance was surprising, was still too young.
On the other hand, James, who won 3 championships at that time, was either a veteran who had won the championship with him in 16 years, or a presence such as Hill and Korver who had seen big scenes in other strong teams, so they could rely on their experience advantages to complete the turnover.
But what about today's Green Army? Although he injured Robert Williams, he can only be regarded as an important part of the defensive end, and he is only a role player of the team, not completely irreplaceable. Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Smart and others have far more playoff experience than they did four years ago, and have learned how to play in adversity. In this case, Durant's difficulty in turning the tables will naturally become greater.
So the 33-year-old James can break the "myth" that the Green Army's 2-0 lead has never been reversed, but durant, 33, I am afraid that returning to the home court is also powerless. Maybe he can win 1-2 games, but this series, he and the Nets, really have little chance.