The Boston Celtics have quite the test in front of them in their first round series against the Brooklyn Nets. We all know it’s going to be very difficult and so do they, but as the old saying goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
The problem is, that journey has to be completed pretty quickly, which begs the question of whether the Celtics have enough time to prepare and give themselves a shot.
“I think that we do,” Brad Stevens said after the team’s Thursday practice. “I think that sometimes that will require -- we just have to be very smart about how we play. And, again, you want to maximize possessions, you can’t throw away five possessions in a row against these guys because that becomes a 12-0 run really quickly.”
This is where the Celtics lack of defense all season could lead to a quick playoff exit. Brooklyn’s offense was the best in the NBA, pouring in 117.3 points per 100 possessions. The Celtics defense rating was a middle-of-the-pack 13th at 111.8. They briefly figured things out in April, when their 109.6 rating was eighth-best for the month, but then it cratered.
It can’t crater against Brooklyn.
“You gotta make everything as difficult as possible. Easier said than done,” Stevens said. “You’re going to have to take away easy baskets on cuts and rebounds because if they are able to add up a number of easy baskets that way, through their motor and energy and lack of playing the right way on our part, then that (means) all the other shots that they make become too much to overcome.”
This is the harsh reality with the Nets. Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving are going to score. There’s no stopping those guys. It’s a matter of making sure the other players around them are kept in check somewhat, and that the Celtics are playing above their heads.
“There will be some tip-your-cap moments where you’re going to have to be like, ‘Nice shot!’ and go down the other end and score,” Stevens said. “You’re not going to hold these guys to 90 or whatever the case may be. These guys are a high-octane offense. You gotta guard them as hard as you can then you gotta go score on the other end. Obviously, again, it’s pretty simple in that way.”
So if holding them to 90 isn't likely, what’s the target number? 100? 115?
“If we score 116,” Stevens said. Whatever the final numbers are, there’s a part of this triggers Stevens’ competitive side maybe even more than usual.
“This is a fun challenge,” he said. “They’re a heck of a team but our guys, we have some guys in here that have been through some big-time series before and have raised their level to meet the moment on several occasions. So I’m really looking forward to it.”
WELCOME TO THE NBA
Aaron Nesmith has come on strong over the past month or so, but he’s about to see the NBA in an even more difficult light.
“Everybody’s just telling me the big jump between games, intensity level between the regular season and the postseason,” Nesmith said after practice. “I got a taste of that against the Wizards. The intensity level increased tenfold and I know it will increase even more on Saturday so I’ve just gotta prepare and get ready and execute the game plan. We’ve got a game plan for all those guys, so as long as I stick to that I’ll be alright.”
That’s all well and good, but as Mike Tyson once said, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth, especially for a rookie sharing that big stage with players he idolized as a child.
“It's a blessing, for sure, to be able to take the court with these guys and compete with these fantastic players; I mean people I've always looked up to,” he said. “But at the same time you’ve got a job to do. It’s still every day for me, so I gotta approach it as it's no different, you know, it's another basketball game. I've been doing it my whole life, and so I’ve got to continue to do that and make the right plays and walk out of there with a win.”
It’ll be interesting to see how much the Celtics will lean on Nesmith with Jaylen Brown out. Stevens has emphasized the need for playing as close to perfectly as possible against the Nets, which will be tough for the rookie. Nesmith is hoping that he can stay focused and in the moment instead of getting caught up in the pressure of the playoffs.
“I’m just continuing to do the things that I've been doing,” he said. “Making winning plays, making effort plays, hitting open shots, bringing energy off the bench and encouraging my teammates. Just doing the little things.”
The Celtics are going to need that from him. Stevens’ rotations might vary depending on what’s working or not in the moment, and some of it will be a reaction to what adjustments Brooklyn makes.
“We’re going to need contributions from each and every guy in that locker room during this time of the year,” Jayson Tatum said. “You never know when you’re going to be needed. There’s numerous situations where maybe a guy doesn’t play the first two games of a series and you go down 0-2, and someone unexpected comes in and makes a huge impact in Game 3 and it kind of can change the course of a series. So just to be prepared every game.”
FOND MEMORIES
Kyrie Irving’s departure from Boston has left a sour taste in the mouths of many fans, but you won’t hear anything but glowing remarks coming from the Boston side.
“Kyrie’s had an amazing year. And he was amazing here,” Stevens said. “He was second team All-NBA his second year and probably would have been first or second team his first year had he not gotten hurt and then missed the last 20 percent or 25 percent of the season. He is a super special player with a really good heart. Certainly, I don’t have anything negative to say at all. He’s a guy that puts you on your heels when you’re playing against him. And certainly is impacted winning in so many ways everywhere he’s been.”
The players aren’t harboring any grudges, either. There has been a crowd of Celtics players surrounding Irving after every meeting between these two teams. Tatum maintains a pretty close connection with him.
“We both went to Duke. At one point we had the same agent, so we had that connection,” he said. “Obviously we played here together for two seasons and got to see his work ethic every day up close, in person. So that was pretty special to see just my first and second year in the league.”
THE SCHEDULE
Game 1: Saturday night at 8:00PM on ABC
Game 2: Tuesday 5/25 at 7:30PM on TNT
Game 3: Friday 5/28 in Boston at 8:30PM on ABC & NBC Sports Boston
Game 4: Sunday 5/30 in Boston at 7:00PM on TNT
Game 5: Tuesday 6/1 in Brooklyn TBD, if necessary
Game 6: Thursday 6/3 in Boston TBD, if necessary
Game 7: Saturday 6/5 in Brooklyn TBD, if necessary
