NBA Playoffs Game 2 Thread: Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics, 7:00 PM EST

Well, that one hurt. Game 1 between the Celtics and Nets was an absolute heartbreaker.

But, good new is that the Celtics need to win three more games before this series is over. It’s not over yet. Not even close.

WHO: Brooklyn Nets (0-1) at Boston Celtics (1-0)

WHEN: 7:00 PM EST

WHERE: TNT (national), My9 (local), WFAN-FM (radio)

Game preview.

The C’s manhandled the Nets by 14 on the glass in game one, and this is where everyone on the team has to work harder on the boards. The duo of Al Horford and Daniel Theis crushed Brooklyn on the boards and the Nets will have to work a lot harder to complete possessions and limit their second chance opportunities. Andre Drummond played 17 minutes, but was a non-factor while he was out there. If he’s not going to dominate the boards while he’s out there, Brooklyn would be wise to give even more of his minutes to Nicolas Claxton. Aside from the missed free throws, Clax was excellent on Sunday as he led the team in rebounding, blocked three shots, and played with high energy all night.

We’ve talked for a while about the danger of the Nets going with three small guards and it shone through on Sunday. Could this be a call for more Kessler Edwards? It’s a LOT of extra responsibility to put on a rookie, but maybe that might be something that can help.

They’re also gonna need much more from Bruce Brown. Brown got put on the Summer Jam screen prior to the game and got outplayed for much of the night. He also let up a really terrible layup to Jaylen Brown late in the game, which contributed to the madness of the final seconds. Brown will need to help on the boards as well as make things happen on the short roll for Brooklyn. In a tough environment, he’s going to need to meet the moment.

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