Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets Prediction and Match Preview - May 25th, 2021 | Game 2, 2021 NBA Playoffs
NBA title hopefuls Brooklyn Nets will take on the Boston Celtics at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Tuesday in the second game of their 2020-21 NBA playoff first-round bout. The Nets overcame a shaky start to produce a comfortable 104-93 victory against the Celtics in Game 1.
The Brooklyn Nets finished second in the Eastern Conference, despite their three superstars not playing enough games together. However, the trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving got going in the second half of Game 1 to lead their team to victory.
Meanwhile, the absence of Jaylen Brown was apparent for the Boston Celtics, as Jayson Tatum only converted six of his 20 shots and did not get easy looks all night. Tatum did convert nine of his 11 free-throw attempts to top-score for his team with 22 points. The Boston Celtics' best shooter on the night was Robert Williams, who registered 11 points and converted five of his eight 2-point attempts.
Match Details
Fixture: Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets | Game 2, 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 25th, 2021; 7:30 PM ET (Wednesday, 5:00 AM IST).
Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY.
Boston Celtics Preview
The Boston Celtics started Game 1 of their playoff series brightly, with Tatum going for 15 points in the first half. Marcus Smart added a further 11 as the Celtics went into half-time with a six-point lead.
With both Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum struggling for points, the Boston Celtics bench kept the team alive for much of the match. But that was not enough, as Kevin Durant produced a monstrous performance for the Nets at both ends of the court.
The second half saw the Nets superstars dominate proceedings as the Boston Celtics struggled in ball movement and high-percentage chances for their best players.
Robert Williams III had a strong night at both ends of the court, finishing with 11 points and nine rebounds. He also set a franchise record for most blocked shots (9) after coming off the bench. However, the Boston Celtics will need better shooting performances from their stars to avoid going 0-2 down in the series.
Key Player - Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum’s inability to score from the field was largely due to an intense defensive effort from the Nets and a lack of options in the Boston Celtics roster.
The Celtics were decent from beyond the arc but could not keep up with a flexible Nets offense that had multiple elite scorers. For Jayson Tatum, a series of huge performances will be needed if the Boston Celtics are to make life difficult for the Brooklyn Nets in the coming games.
Tatum’s best shooting in the last game came from the free-throw line, as he was bullied near the paint for much of the match, despite finishing with 22 points and five assists.
Boston Celtics Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Kemba Walker l Shooting Guard - Marcus Smart l Small Forward - Evan Fournier l Power Forward - Jayson Tatum l Center - Tristan Thompson.
Brooklyn Nets Preview
After a slow first half, the Brooklyn Nets dominated in the second half. Kyrie Irving, Harden and Durant combined for 49 points in the final two quarters, with Irving converting seven of his ten 2-point attempts.
The Brooklyn Nets did not have the most comfortable of nights offensively, as they missed easy shots in the first two quarters and were poor from the 3-point zone. Overall, the Nets converted just eight of their 34 attempts from beyond the arc, something they'll look to rectify in Game 2.
Kyrie Irving finished with 29 points, while James Harden registered 21 points, eight assists and nine rebounds to round off a successful start to the 2021 NBA playoffs for the Brooklyn Nets,
Key Player - Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant took control of proceedings from the third quarter. The big three of the Brooklyn Nets scored the first 22 points of the second half, with Durant producing a commanding performance in what was his first playoff game in almost two years.
This was only the ninth game Durant featured alongside Harden and Irving. The three have shown good understanding with each other in the limited game time they have had this season.
Durant finished with a stat line of 32 points and 12 rebounds and could be a key player for the Brooklyn Nets in Game 2 too.
Brooklyn Nets Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - James Harden l Shooting Guard - Kyrie Irving l Small Forward - Joe Harris l Power Forward - Kevin Durant l Center - Blake Griffin.
Celtics vs Nets Match Prediction
The Boston Celtics will need to show huge improvement in multiple areas to compete with the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets looked good defensively and have an elite offence capable of hurting the Celtics. The Celtics looked poor in their ball movement in the first game, squandering possession too many times.
Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker will need to produce better shooting performances. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets will look to start quickly in Game 2 and are the favorites to go 2-0 up in the series.
Where to watch Celtics vs Nets?
Game 2 of the Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets series will be televised nationally on the TNT network. The match can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.