On April 24, Beijing time, the Nets lost 103:109 to the Celtics and fell behind 0:3 on aggregate. No team has ever been able to turn the tables around 3-0 in the playoffs. It means that the Nets' journey this season is coming to an end. After the game, Nets coach Nash was interviewed, who said Irving was currently fasting during Ramadan. Durant played more than 40 minutes a game for five or six weeks in a row, and they were all too tired. I can feel how they feel, it's not easy.
Durant played 45 minutes and 54 seconds in the game, and only made 11 shots in the game to have 16 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists, and 5 turnovers. He played 43 minutes and 13 seconds in the game, hitting only 6 goals on 17 shots and losing all 7 shots outside the three-point line to get 16 points and 9 assists. When Durant and Irving combined scored less than 40 points, the Nets really had a hard time beating their opponents.
Durant and Irving both performed very well in the regular season, averaging 29.9 points per game in the regular season. Irving averaged 27.4 points per game in the regular season. Both men's outputs are top-notch. But in the playoffs, Durant and Irving currently have an average of less than 23 points, and the average playing time of these two people is more than 40 minutes, which is very expensive. Since both Durant and Irving are among the top singles players, there will be a large number of choices for singles when attacking. The Celtics are also madly fighting against these two people against this point, constantly depleting the physical strength of these two people. Durant is currently 33 and Irving is also 30. Their physical strength is not comparable to that of a few years ago.
Coach Nash was very considerate of these two lovers. The problem is that in the playoffs no one cares about the process, only the result. The Nets fell behind 0:3 beyond the expectations of many fans. Before the start of the series, considering that the Nets are a team with championship-winning strength, there should be no 0-3 behind. These games can only reflect one problem, the Celtics are far above the Nets. The Nets did not have an advantage against the Celtics, and even though Irving was on fasting, Durant played more than 40 minutes for five consecutive weeks. None of these are decisive factors.
The Celtics had two factors that far outweighed the Nets. This is also the key to their victory, the first point is the physical advantage, the net court of the five players are relatively short, especially the average height of the three players on the outside line is less than 1.95 meters. The 5 players on the Celtic court are very tall, and Tatum and Brown are physically gifted and impactful. Horford on the inside can provide height and his technique is very comprehensive. Thanks to this lineup configuration, the Celtics are actually very relaxed against the Nets, they don't need much cooperation, and some rounds directly give Tatum and Brown the ball against Irving or Curry Jr. If the Nets assist in defending the court, there will be loopholes. Celtic players all have projection abilities.
Second, the Celtics' defense was too tough, especially against Durant. Durant did not expect that he would have a situation where he did not score more than 20 points in a single playoff game. Tatum was very tough on Durant's defense, and Durant did not have any advantage when he singled him, and was also robbed several times. Irving scored 60 points in the regular season, and his offensive efficiency against the Greenshirts' predatory defense of Irving also declined. Moreover, he is currently in a fasting state, and his efficiency has declined significantly.
The Nets are currently on the edge of a cliff, and Durant's consecutive consumption and Irving's fasting are not the main reasons for the loss, and there is essentially a gap in the strength of the two teams. Basketball is not a star game after all, and it is impossible to change the trend of the entire series by one or two people alone. The Celtics play tougher and defend better, and they deserve to win this series. Hopefully, the Nets will change well in the future, and the next game will be for glory. Dear friends, do you think the Celtics will sweep the Nets 4-0? Feel free to leave a comment in the comments section below the article.