The Brooklyn Nets have fallen to 2-0 in the series against the Boston Celtics. In both games, the Nets led going into the fourth quarter. The issue may not lie within the Nets’ toughness or effectiveness but may be their coaching. They were leading going into the fourth quarter while on the road with two to three minutes left on the clock, a crucial time for valuable possessions. This tends to be where the coaches separate themselves from the rest of the pack. However, Nash has yet to prove he can elevate to that tier.
The Brooklyn Nets Fall Short
There seem to be zero plays run by Nash and the Nets within the last few minutes of the games. Nash recorded 92 wins and 62 losses in two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, per ESPN. This only leads to bad possessions and forced shots by Future Hall of Famers Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Durant and Irving both struggled in game 2. In fact, they combined for 1-17 in the second half of game two, according to Sportskeeda.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had a dreadful second half against the Celtics in Game 2! 💀
They combined for 1-17 (6%) from the field and eventually gave the game away, 107-114, to the Celtics! #kyrieirving #kevindurant #brooklynnets #nbaplayoffs pic.twitter.com/WtmUFbXSWN
— Sportskeeda Basketball (@Basketball_SK) April 21, 2022
Many want to blame Irving and Durant for the inconsistency and just overall poor shooting. They are forgetting the importance of taking control of the game by tempo, ball movement, half-court sets, plays, and most important defense. The Nets found ways to make Celtics star SF Jayson Tatum uncomfortable, yet, they had no answers for Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart.
Durant carries a ton of the responsibility on himself for not being able to figure it out and close. However, this is a team collective of failures manifesting in front of the world.
“I have to complete it and figure it out myself,” he stated. “I don’t rely on my teammates or the defense to provide anything. I just need to go out there and play.”
What Happens if Durant and The Brooklyn Nets get Swept?
One only hopes this series continues past four games due to the overwhelming talent in this series. However, if Durant were to get swept it would only make fans question his true values. Tons of narratives were spread that Golden State’s star PG Steph Curry needed Durant to beat LeBron James in 2017 and 2018. The amount of talent Durant has had to play with and failing to find success with the Nets would be devastating.
It would only be fair to ask, “Did Steph Curry and the Warriors truly need Kevin Durant in their championship run?”
