By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Brooklyn Nets swingman Bruce Brown previewing the best-of-seven series versus the Boston Celtics did not get the approval of Kevin Durant. Certainly a quick turnaround following the Play-In win over the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday evening.
“We can’t let Tatum get 50,” said Brown, “We got to be physical with them. Now they don’t have Robert Williams, so they have less of a presence in the paint, and we could attack Al Horford and Theis. So them not having Robert Williams is huge.”
Durant, 33, prepared for the 11th postseason campaign of his NBA career did not like his teammate sharing team plans and further comments on the Celtics.
“We respect our opponents,” he underlined, “We don’t need to talk about what we’re going to do to them. I just don’t like that, but that’s how Bruce is. He comes in and keeps the same energy throughout the whole season. But we don’t need to say s— like that. Let’s just go out there and hoop.”
The first-round Playoffs series is scheduled to tip off Saturday night. And containing Jayson Tatum will be a big part of potential success in the fourth consecutive Playoffs appearance of the Nets.
“That’s a tough question,” Durant replied on the Duke product and three-time NBA All-Star, “He’s one of those players you just got to play hard and see what happens. He’s just so talented and skilled and efficient at what he does. We gotta just play hard and I expect us to.”
Nets point guard Kyrie Irving spent a couple of seasons in Boston before moving to Brooklyn. Taytum was among his teammates.
“It starts with really slowing JT down,” he explained, “He has a great feel playing against us, and everyone else around is very complementary to that attack; and when JT’s getting doubled, Marcus Smart is pushing the pace, he’s playing well, hitting shots. Al Horford’s dominating the offensive rebounds, and Daniel Theis filling in for Robert Williams, it’s big.”
On the injury list, Ben Simmons finally debuting as a Net during the Playoffs is considered questionable. “He hasn’t been running full speed or playing against anybody. So still a lot of markers to meet,” noted head coach Steve Nash in the latest status update.
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