“They did a good job of making me see bodies” Kevin Durant acknowledges the strong physical game played by the Celtics in Game 1 
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Kevin Durant vs Celtics Defense
Eastern Conference powerhouses face off against each other and the game didn’t fail to deliver all the excitement. But one of the most anticipated top scorers for the game, Kevin Durant was fairly quiet in the game. He credited the Celtics’ Physical defense for the same.
On day 2 of the 2022 playoffs, Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics started their quest for the Championship. Nets were at TD Center for the 1st round match-up. The game lived up to its hype, but Kevin Durant was kept cold by the Celtics’ defense. Durant reacted to the game and his performance in the post-game interview. He accepted the defensive plays from the Celtics as there were very few occasions KD got a clear view of the Basket.
Boston Celtics team tried their best to limit Durant’s production, which helped them to gain supremacy in the 1st game of the series. Nets’ explosive forward said, “I played fast and turned the ball over. I’ve just got to slow down and play my game, but they did a good job of making me see bodies”
Boston Celtics found their way out of the series as they keep Kevin Durant in check
Boston Celtics were a struggling team in mid-January, but since the end of the month, they had the best record in the league. They jumped to 2nd position from a play-in situation earlier in the year. The team’s defense fueled the offense and the Celtics made some impressive winning runs. Playing in their 1st playoff game of the season, the team continued to focus on the defense and was rewarded with a slender 1-point win.
The game plan for 17-time NBA Champions was clear on the floor. They tied down Kevin Durant and force him to make some difficult shots right from the 1st quarter. Celtics players were very physical in the game as they found themselves in foul-trouble mid-way into the 1st quarter.
Kevin Durant still managed to score 23 points but was poor on-field Goal percentages. He drained 9 out of 24 attempts, with just one 3-pointer in the whole game. Marcus Smart was the primary defender on KD, while Tatum made some defensive plays on the prolific scorer, who did a wonderful job stopping the 4-time scoring champion from under 25 points and forcing 6 turnovers.
What is next for the Kevin Durant and Brooklyn Nets
The championship contender Brooklyn Nets have had their problems in the regular season, but the team is in “Win-now” mode. They can’t let themselves down with a disappointing 1-point loss to the Celts.
Durant himself admitted that he was a bit fast in the game and if he could slow down a bit, it would be easier for him to score more points. High scoring KD can partner with in-form guard Kyrie Irving and that will ease some pressure off the team.
Though the Celtics played well and forced mistakes from Nets players, both teams were tied at 61 at halftime. Jason Tatum and Boston team won their battle in the 3rd quarter as they outscored Nets 35-24 and made an early surge in the 4th quarter also. Keeping these points in mind, Steve Nash can guide his team for the next fixture on 20th April.
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Kunal Chawda
(600 Articles Published)