The odds are in the favor of the team who boasts three all-time playmakers and elite scorers in James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant. But after Tatum’s 50-point piece to steer the Celtics past Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook of the Washington Wizards, there’s an added layer of excitement.
There’s obvious anticipation of what the star-studded lineup of the Nets can bring to the table. However, Tatum’s brilliance and rise as a superstar equally deserves our attention despite the struggles the Celtics have had this season.
Most compelling storyline
Has there ever been a superteam with so much hype, so much expectations, and yet so much things we don’t know about heading into the postseason?
After assembling a Big Three that can rival any of the game’s best trios in history, the underlying concern remains of how Harden, Irving, and Durant can play well together. It’s crazy to think that they’ve only played eight times together this season a total of 202 minutes. Throughout the year, head coach Steve Nash has had to employ a morass of lineup combinations, usually featuring one or two of the stars and flanked by abled role players. It was as if the 72-game schedule was a long experiment, figuring out which players and schemes would do best in different in-game situations.
And even if the three all show up come playoff time, there’s no telling if they’re a hundred percent health-wise. Durant has had a hamstring strain and a thigh contusion plus it’s easy to forget that he was coming off a ruptured Achilles injury to start the year. Harden has missed a considerable amount of time due to a hamstring strain while Irving has had his share of minor injuries.
That being said, in terms of pure talent, scoring prowess, and shot-creating, it’s hard to think of any other three-man group that can beat this team especially if you consider that they are all still in their prime. The fact that the Nets have legitimate championship aspirations, compounded by the caveat that we have yet to see their full potential, gives them a cloud of mystery which is enough to compel anyone to stay tuned.
Keep an eye on...
The small ball matchups are worth a peep in this star-studded affair. Who’s going to guard who?
Boston’s premier defender Marcus Smart can’t be in three places at once. Who should he try to slow down first? Tatum is the Celtics’ other top perimeter defender but you don’t want him fatigued on the other end if you need him to carry the scoring load.
The Celtics, who were already undermanned without Jaylen Brown, was dealt with another blow after center Robert Williams left with a foot injury versus the Wizards, apparently aggravating his previous toe ailment. If his status remains uncertain, that will leave coach Brad Stevens fewer options in his rotation. The Celtics, despite their promising young players, don’t have strong bench play. Stevens will have to tighten his rotations further.
Both the Celtics and Nets often rely on quick, lengthy, and versatile lineups.The Nets like Blake Griffin at the five, but 6-foot-4 Bruce Brown has sneakily taken the role of a big man in certain lineups. At other times, Nash prefers to only have Durant and Jeff Green providing the height. Then again, all these schemes are not set in stone given that all three of their stars are healthy and in rotation.
X-Factor
Tatum’s star power will try to match the Nets’ powerhouse but it won’t be enough. For the Celtics to even have a sliver of chance, they need Kemba Walker to play like Kemba Walker again.
The team has been walking on eggshells with regards to Walker’s health all year as he had an offseason stem cell injection on his left knee. He played sparingly throughout, usually sitting out the second night of back-to-backs. Well, let’s see if all that caution can pay dividends in the playoffs.
Walker was actually solid during Wednesday’s play-in, scoring 29 points, playing the role of Robin to Tatum’s Batman. Against the Nets, it’s no question that he has to have that same output and play with the same aggressiveness. Tatum will obviously draw a lot of attention and Walker will have to make the shots to help the Celtics offense.
Winning Blueprint
Like the regular season, the Nets will be using the first round series as a sort of assessment period as they incorporate their three stars. The Celtics can catch their opponent off guard and might even come away with a game or two as the Nets try and test their playoff schemes. At the end of the day, it’ll come down to Tatum with the support of Walker, Smart, and Evan Fournier. The main concern for the Celtics in this matchup is to simply not be a cannon fodder for the Nets and try to make a series out of this.
As for the Nets, they have the easier route. They just have to mesh together quickly and play. The potency and star power of Harden, Irving, and Durant are more than enough to win a series against a team that barely made it into the playoffs. And above all else, they have to stay healthy.
