Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics: 3 matchups that will decide series

Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the Brooklyn Nets finally found out which team they will first have to overcome in their championship pursuit, as Jayson Tatum’s 50-point game against the Washington Wizards set up a matchup against the Boston Celtics, whom the Nets played well against earlier in the season. 

Overlooking Boston, even without Jaylen Brown, would be an egregious mistake. Tatum is still one of the best scorers in the game, and the presence of Brad Stevens on the sidelines will ensure that the Celtics will give the Nets a run for their money.

However, Brooklyn enters this series with a ton of momentum. James Harden is back from injury, the Nets have shown that the combination of their three superstars can translate into wins, and some of their role players are starting to step up at the perfect moment.

The Nets and Celtics will both have plenty of firepower they can use to take shots at one another, and that could make for some of the more interesting individual matchups you’ll find in any first-round playoff series.

These 3 matchups could determine if the Brooklyn Nets advance.

3. Kyrie Irving vs. Kemba Walker

He has struggled this season, but Walker proved against Washington that whenever he needs to turn back the clock and morph into the game-changer he was in Charlotte, he is more than willing to oblige. However, that might not be enough to save him from Irving’s wrath.

Irving has averaged 30.7 points in three games against the Celtics this season, showing that he is capable of taking his former teammates to school. With Walker essentially replacing Irving in Boston after a rocky two-year tenure there, Kyrie might have some extra motivation against him in this series.

Kyrie Irving needs to outscore Kemba Walker.

Both of these players get some unfair flack for their defensive acumen, but Irving and Walker will likely be taking turns trying to get buckets down the floor. Considering Irving is coming off of a 50/40/90 season, the Nets should feel confident leaning on him.

Kyrie will be playing in Boston for the first time this season with fans in the building. The chorus of boos he will hear upon his return will make the atmosphere here even more charged. If Irving can buckle down and focus on taking down Walker, the Nets should be able to score from the perimeter with regularity.

2. James Harden vs Marcus Smart

Harden might use his underrated defense to guard one of Boston’s better offensive players, but you can put down with 100 percent certainty that Smart will be tasked with impeding Harden. Given Smart’s strength and tenacity, it’s easy to see why he will be given the role of slowing down the former MVP.

Harden has always been heralded for his ability to go 110% in every game, but a hamstring injury sidelined him for most of the end of the season. Luckily, as proven during a win against the Chicago Bulls, Steve Nash can trust Harden to shoulder the typically heavy load he has been willing to pick up in the regular season.

James Harden needs to win this matchup on both ends.

As evidenced by the fact that the Nets are a .500 team when Harden is not in the lineup, Brooklyn needs the triple-double maestro to provide his usual blend of peerless scoring, solid rebounding, and tremendous distribution. Smart is as well-equipped to stop that as anyone in the league.

For all of Harden’s immeasurably good qualities, he can be a bit inconsistent as a 3-point shooter from time to time. If Smart managed to limit his ability to drive or wiggle into the paint, that could make it even tougher for Brooklyn to answer the barrage of 3-pointers Boston can uncork at any given moment.

1. Kevin Durant vs Jayson Tatum

This is what will ultimately decide this game, set and match. Two of the game’s best scorers will be going head to head to prove who will end up in the second round. While he has missed time due to injury, Durant has looked like the same lethal scorer he did in his Golden State days, and the Nets offense has ranked among the best in the game.

Tatum is not going to score 50 points in every game, but the Nets might as well start every game down 25 considering that Tatum is going to fill up the scoreboard. Tatum is starting to come into his own as a star and primary scoring option without Jaylen Brown, and he won’t be scared of KD’s star power.

Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum will match each other blow for blow.

Tatum has helped the Celtics get to the Conference Finals with regularity, and while his odds at replicating that look long this year, his scoring touch is refined enough to the point where he could easily end up giving the Nets some real headaches in this series.

The only way for Durant to neutralize Tatum is to match him shot for shot. Luckily, considering that Durant hasn’t lost one ounce of his shooting stroke, ability to hit contested shots, or skill with creating separation off of the dribble, he should be up to the task, especially if the game is tied late.

Brooklyn Nets: Predicting the perfect playoff rotation for Steve Nash

Some changes will need to be made to this rotation, as the grind of the postseason could take something out of the Brooklyn Nets.