Coach Steve Nash and his Nets have way more instant considerations than the probability of Ben Simmons becoming a member of their lineup Monday for Sport 4 of their first-round playoff collection towards the Celtics.
First, superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, in Sport 3 on Saturday at Barclays Middle, should rebound from poor taking pictures performances in two highway losses to forestall the Nets from falling behind 3-0 within the best-of-seven collection.
Durant is taking pictures 31.7 p.c (13-for-41) with simply two made 3-pointers by means of the primary two video games, together with an 0-for-10 exhibiting from the sector within the fourth quarter of Sport 2.
“It occurs. I’ve seen Kevin battle again from unhealthy video games loads of occasions in his playoff profession. … I couldn’t have extra religion and belief in Kevin Durant,” Nash mentioned after apply Friday. “Generally you undergo these little pockets of play. We’re taking part in a crew that’s wonderful defensively and an enormous crew. They usually do a fantastic job. That doesn’t imply, although, that issues can’t change.
“I believe Kevin Durant is among the greatest gamers to ever play the sport, and he’ll proceed to enhance because the collection goes on.”
Irving, the previous Celtic who was fined $50,000 by the NBA for giving the finger to Boston followers throughout a 39-point efficiency within the collection opener, endured a quiet Sport 2 with simply 10 factors on 4-for-13 taking pictures in 40 minutes.
Boston head coach and former Nets assistant Ime Udoka has had his top-ranked protection double-teaming Durant and Irving typically on the perimeter. The Celtics pressured Durant to commit six turnovers in every of the primary two video games. Boston is anticipated to get lively large man Robert Williams III again for Sport 3.
“I believe there’s methods we may also help. I believe we preserve these to ourselves, however it’s loads of issues to be taught each time you play, loads of issues to regulate and adapt to, particularly in a collection, sport to sport,” Nash mentioned. “However that’s part of playoff basketball that I believe is fulfilling, is the changes you make.
“Generally I believe individuals once we speak about changes consider huge scheme shifts. A whole lot of occasions it’s like placing your ft two ft within the different path. It’s not all the time some huge theoretical change.”
Requested if he believed the Celtics have been “getting away with” overly bodily play towards Durant and Irving or if it’s “simply playoff basketball,” Nash replied: “A little bit of each. You go on the highway within the playoffs and generally it's someplace in that grey space. I believe there’s undoubtedly performs that aren’t known as, however you most likely can say that about each sport. I’m not right here to get within the weeds concerning the refereeing. We’re going to arrange our crew and our guys to play a basketball sport.”
Veteran large males LaMarcus Aldridge and Blake Griffin haven't appeared within the collection, however Nash wouldn't decide to any rotation modifications for Sport 3. He famous that the Celtics gained Sport 1 on Jayson Tatum’s last-second drive and the Nets led by 17 within the first half of Sport 2.
“I believe we've got to carry our nerve right here,” Nash mentioned. “I really feel assured in our group. Like I preserve saying, it’s a brand new group, as properly. So we’re nonetheless making an attempt to be taught to play collectively. We’ve by no means been in a playoff surroundings collectively.
“There’s a component that we’re hoping we are able to develop and enhance on the fly, as properly. It’s exhausting to assume ‘let’s change all the pieces’ once we’re making an attempt to see it for the primary time and never overreact and acknowledge that we had been very unfortunate, though I don’t assume we performed properly, very unfortunate to not win by a break up second in Sport 1 after which had our greatest half of the collection in Sport 2 and simply didn’t maintain it.”
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