The Brooklyn Nets can clinch a spot in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs as soon as this Tuesday if they can win against the Boston Celtics. Will the Nets close it all out? Or will the Celtics extend the series to at least six games? Check out our preview of this game below.
Jayson Tatum is trying his best to carry the Celtics. The former Duke Blue Devils star scored 50 points in the Celtics’ Game 3 win and 40 in the loss in Game 4. He has established himself as a major thorn in the side of Brooklyn that the Nets might not have a solution for until the end of the series. That being said, Tatum is in desperate need of help. Kemba Walker is currently doubtful to play in Game 5, thus putting more focus on the likes of Marcus Smart and Evan Fournier, and even Jabari Parker. Those three players should provide ample scoring support behind Tatum, who is averaging 30.3 points on 41.7 field goal percentage and 40 percent from deep in the playoffs. Smart is right behind Tatum with 18.8 points per game, while Fournier is third with 14.8 points per contest. Hopefully for the Celtics, Walker will ultimately be ruled okay to play in Game 5. If not, Romeo Langford could get another shot at starting in the backcourt.
The Celtics are 9-4 against the spread in their last 13 road games. The over has hit the over in eight of the Celtics’ last 10 games after suffering a loss.
After stumbling in a Game 3 125-119 road loss to Boston, the Nets rebounded right away. In Game 4, they scored a 141-126 win at TD Garden to bring themselves a win closer to advancing to the next round. Once again, the trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving was too much for Boston, which is heavily relying on Jaylen Tatum. Durant top-scored for Brooklyn in Game 4 with 42 points, Irving exploded for 39 points, while Harden was content with his 23 points and 18 assists. There’s always at least one superstar running the offense on the floor for Brooklyn, and that’s something Boston is having a hard time contending with. The Nets are averaging a whopping 123.5 points per game on 49.3 percent shooting from the field while also knocking down 41.6 percent of their shots from long distance.
The Nets are 8-1 against the spread in their last nine road games. The total has hit the under five of the Nets’ last six games after scoring over 125 points in their previous game.
