"It's thrown Durant off his game" - Chris Broussard accuses Kevin Durant of not being physically able to match up against Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics' physical and aggressive 1990s-like defense has shut down Kevin Durant in the last two games. [Photo: New York Times]

Kevin Durant is viewed by many as the most talented scorer in NBA history. Considering the league's many great scorers, like Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain, it’s about the highest compliment an offensive player can get.

Many of those who argue that KD isn’t the most talented scorer ever are basing it on the more restrictive rules for defenders in the last decade or so. In the Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics series, however, the referees are allowing more physicality and grind-out basketball. That has flustered Durant in the first two games.

Chris Broussard, on "First Things First," emphatically debunked the point that the best defenders of the 90s are helpless against Kevin Durant’s all-time great scoring skills:

“Let’s give the Celtics some credit ... 'cause we always hear – I even heard Gilbert Arenas recently on a podcast – ‘(Dennis) Rodman, (Michael) Jordan, (Scottie) Pippen, they couldn’t guard Kevin Durant.’ This is '90s basketball. The refs are letting the Celtics play '90s defense. And they're getting physical with Kevin Durant, and he's not used to it.”

The veteran sports analyst stressed that, if KD played in the 1990s, he would not have been as dominant as he is today.

“They’re getting physical with him, and that’s the problem," Broussard said. "We know he’s not incredibly strong. He’s not big. He’s not a physical player. They are letting the Celtics be physical, and it’s thrown Durant off his game. If he’s tired from playing 40 minutes for a couple of months, shame on him!”

The Boston Celtics’ unforgiving and physical defense has made Kevin Durant look like a mere mortal in the first two games of the series. He’s never had back-to-back games where he’s shot less than 40% from the field with six turnovers.

Since 2019, the “Slim Reaper is averaging: 38.9 points on 54.5% shooting following a playoff loss. On Wednesday night, after losing 115-114 in Game 1, Durant finished with 27 points on 4-of-17 shooting, including an unbelievable 0 of 10 in the second half.

I was shocked by how small KD and Kyrie came up last night. Props to Boston for employing some '90s-Era defense! twitter.com/FTFonFS1/statu…

The numbers are shocking, considering that people have been raving about his unmatched scoring prowess. Boston’s long and physical defenders are not giving Durant an inch of breathing room.

If KD has to show the world that he is the game’s ultimate scoring machine, he has to play much better. Solving the Celtics’ old school, bully-ball and 1990s defense is his ticket to turning this series around.

The next two games of the series will be in Brooklyn on Saturday and Monday.

Steve Nash has to give Kevin Durant better opportunities to succeed

Steve Nash has to make drastic changes to put Kevin Durant in ideal positions to score. [Photo: Sporting News]

Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka completely schooled Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash in the first two games of the series. Nash has been left reeling with how Udoka has devised his game plan to contain the Nets’ dynamic scoring duo.

The Nets can’t consistently rely on isolation, high pick-and-rolls and drive and kicks. Boston not only reads them well but has every counter to the Nets’ usual sets. It’s one of the reasons why the Celtics’ length and physicality are even more impactful.

Udoka is winning the coaching battle with Steve Nash so far — With his second-half coaching adjustments, Ime Udoka positioned the #Celtics to win Game 2 - The Boston Globe bostonglobe.com/2022/04/21/spo…

More than just moving the ball from side to side, Nash's squad has to learn to move better. Boston knows exactly where the screens will come from, who will screen and how to execute their stifling switching defense.

If the Nets can't solve this, Durant’s scoring abilities will only get drowned by the Celtics’ savvy, aggressive and physical defending.