Brooklyn Nets: Boston Bummer

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

GAME ONE

NETS        114

CELTICS   115

FINAL

Isolated in Beantown

That was a brutal way to go down.  

What a brilliant counter-spin move and layup by Jayson Tatum, though.

The idea is to steal a game at Boston.  That almost happened, but it didn't, so the Nets are down one.  But, as they say, it's not a series until the home team loses.  Let's see what happens Wednesday.

The Nets had just twenty overall assists, led by Kyrie Irving and Seth Curry with six each.  Next on the list is Kevin Durant, with three.  That simply will not do.  

Said another way isolation ball is not working.  Kyrie and KD aren't even trying to dish off.  Moreover, I saw no motion from the other participants.  Only three Nets players finished with double-digit FG attempts.  Kevin Durant led the team with 24 shot attempts, and Kyrie Irving followed with twenty.  Otherwise, Goran Dragic was a distant third with eleven attempts.

Kyrie Irving carried the entire team because Boston stuck to Kevin Durant like flypaper.  Durant was limited to 9/24 (37.5%) from the field and just five attempts from the line for 23 points to go along with a team-high eight turnovers.

Now, imagine Goran Dragic not scoring 14 points in 26 minutes ...

Hope like hell he does it again!

Nic Claxton showed up.  But I can't say that about the rest.  Is it their own fault, KD and Kyrie's fault, Boston's fault, coaching, none of the above, or a little of everything?

Boston outrebounded Flatbush by 14, had eleven more possessions, and outscored the Nets in the paint by 24 points.  And yet, the Nets only lost by one.

Kevin Durant is sure to play better, and Kyrie will be there.  But Flatbush still needs someone to step it up.  Boston can let Kyrie score 60 points if they continue shutting down Durant.  Excellent game by Dragic and Claxton.  But it's not enough.  Boston had four players with at least 20 points.  

Bruce Brown played the third-most minutes (37) behind KD and Kyrie but only attempted three FG all game with nary a trip to the line.  He connected on his lone three-point attempt.  Perhaps KD and Kyrie need to trust in him more.  It's not like they have a choice.