"Everybody was saying, 'Oh, KD's gonna go off, he's gonna have 40'" - Jay Williams asserts that Steve Nash has been the main culprit behind Brooklyn Nets' struggles against Celtics
The Brooklyn Nets dropped their second game against the Boston Celtics in the first-round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, 114-107 on Wednesday night. They now go to Barclays Arena for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday.
Kevin Durant's performance in a 115-114 loss in Game 1 led many to believe that one of the greatest scorers of all time might have just hit a rough patch. He shot 9 of 24 and scored 23 points. But Game 2 brought no respite. Durant shot 4 of 13, missing all 10 shots in the second half, getting 18 of his 27 points at the free-throw line.
On ESPN's "Keyshawn, JWill & Max," former NBA player Jay Williams put the blame on someone else:
"Everybody was saying, 'Oh, KD's gonna go off, he's gonna have 40,' and I'm like, 'What if he doesn't?' ... You're betting on Steve Nash to make adjustments. I'm starting to bet against that a little bit.
"I'm not gonna sit up here and say that Kevin Durant isn't still in the conversation for the best player in the world, because he sure as hell is, but the way that Boston has defended him, man, ... you turn and you face, and you see three dudes who are clogging the lane, and every cut you're getting bumped.
"Bruce Brown played well, Goran Dragic played well but it still didn't seem enough"
Boston coach Ime Udoka's halftime adjustments made it possible for the Celtics to come back and win 114-107. Boston trailed by 10 at halftime and 17 in the second half. The plays Brooklyn ran in the first turned up short, and so did the ones in the second game.
Preview: Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics, Game 3
The Brooklyn Nets meet the Boston Celtics on Saturday for Game 3 at Barclays Arena. The Nets are looking to ramp up Ben Simmons, who hasn't been ruled out for Game 3 but is likely to be back for Game 4.
Game 3 is a must-win for Brooklyn. Playoff history dictates that if a team goes up 2-0 in a series, they will win the series 92% of the time. Boston Celtics' playoff history tells us that Boston has a 49-2 record when up 2-0.
The website fivethirtyeight puts a 58% chance for the Celtics to win Game 3, while Draft Kings puts +140 on the money line for the Celtics.