Well well well, how the turntables…
Unless you’re new to basketball, then you should know about the infamous trade the Nets made to acquire washed versions of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. It seems like forever ago and a lot has happened since then. The Nets struggled for years, but thanks to a cinderella season in 2019 the Nets re-established themselves as a team that is on the come up. That process was accelerated with the signings of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Then they traded for James Harden. So, now they go from bottom-feeders to NBA Finals favorites.
Meanwhile, the picks the Celtics got in the trade are still paying dividends. However, a lot has gone wrong for Boston this season. They still managed to get into the playoffs, but expectations are slightly different from the last few seasons. It will certainly be an uphill battle for Boston.
How The Nets Got Here
As mentioned, at the beginning of the season the Nets were subject to be the preferred destination for James Harden. Unlike other teams in the East, the Nets didn’t overthink the obvious because of how they feel about certain young players and acquired the best all-around scorer in the NBA. Did it cost Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen? Two players that are better than Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn, and Tyrese Maxey. It did, but James Harden’s exceeds those player collective impact. Obviously, depth is important, but as the league has shown, it’s all about the star players. The “Strength in Numbers” Warriors has much stronger depth than the Warriors that had Kevin Durant, but 100 out of 100 people are talking the Warriors with Kevin Durant over the Warriors with Leonardo Barbosa, Festus Ezeli, Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, and Marresse Speights.
Not to mention, the Nets still have some quality depth. On top of the three stars, they still have Joe Harris, Blake Griffin, Landry Shamet, Jeff Green, and Bruce Brown. The Nets have only had seven games with the Big 3 and yet were still able to finish 48-24. Depth won’t be an issue.
How The Nets Win The Series
They need to take the Celtics seriously. They can outgun the Celtics with relative ease. However, they still got Jayson Tatum on the team and you know he’s going to give everything he’s got. Kemba Walker had a strong game against Washington and showed he can still get a bucket. Marcus Smart is still an elite defensive guard. They won’t just lay over. So, all Brooklyn really needs to do is stay focus and the rest will take care of itself.
How The Celtics Got Here
It has been a strange year for the Celtics. Like a lot of teams around the league, the Celtics were hampered by injuries and COVID. Kemba Walker missed a lot of games early in the season due to injury and struggled to stay healthy for most of the season. Tatum got COVID and had to miss some games, as well as Jaylen Brown due to close contact. Then, late in the season, Brown suffered a wrist injury that has caused him to miss the rest of the season.
Brad Steven has been under fire for a lot of the failures this season, which I don’t get. People are now questioning if he has what it takes to win a championship, which I also don’t get. I am willing to give him a past because he has brought this team to the Eastern Conference Finals three times in the last four years. While he hasn’t sealed the deal yet, doesn’t mean he never will. For a lot of teams, you can throw this season by the wayside and the Celtics are one of those teams
How The Celtics Win The Series
To be frank, they are going to need a miracle. The Nets are out for blood. Irving, Durant, and Harden all have their own personal demons they want to put to bed. They wanted to be together, something you hate to see if you’re the rest of the league. Barring major injury or just some of the least inspiring basketball a team can play, the Nets will win the series.
Series Prediction
The Nets have the better star players. They have more depth. They have better depth. It was valiant of the Celtics to make the playoffs despite all the road pits, but it ends here.
Prediction: Nets in 4