NEW YORK – Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has been within the league lengthy sufficient to know it is unwise to provide an opponent any additional motivation earlier than the collection begins.
So when Durant listened to Nets guard Bruce Brown’s criticism of the Boston Celtics, saying the nets may assault them within the upcoming Jap Convention quarterfinals as a result of absence of Celtics third-man Robert Williams, Durant was fast to reprimand his younger teammate. feedback.
“We respect our opponents,” Durant stated after the Nets completed their 115-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers within the playoff recreation Tuesday night time. “We need not discuss what we’ll do with them. I simply do not prefer it, however that is how Bruce is. He comes on and he retains the identical power for the entire season so — however we need not say like that. Let’s simply go on the market and whirl.”
Brown’s feedback got here after he was requested what he felt could be an even bigger key to slowing the Celtics down within the upcoming collection, which begins in Boston on Sunday afternoon.
“We won’t permit [Jayson] “Tatum will get 50,” Brown stated. We now have to be bodily with them. Now they do not have Robert Williams, in order that they have much less presence within the paint and we will assault Al Horfords and [Daniel] Thess. So the shortage of Robert Williams is large.”
Durant, who took the post-match press convention podium after Brown did, had already been given hints at the truth that Brown had stated one thing he did not admire.
What did Bruce Brown say when he acquired up right here? Durant requested the assembled media. “He stated one thing I did not like, somebody simply instructed me.”
When instructed of Brown’s feedback, Durant tried to convey them again.
“That is the discuss of caffeine pleasure,” Durant stated. “It takes one thing earlier than a recreation. These two guys (Horford and Tess) can do the identical issues. It will not be that simple, I inform you.”
Apart from conserving Brown’s phrases in examine, Durant is aware of that the largest key within the collection will likely be defending Tatum. The Celtics broke off All-Star with a 50-point victory over the Nets in early March and continued to enhance whereas main the Celtics to the No. 2 seed within the East.
“It begins with actually slowing the JT down,” Nets guard Keri Irving stated of Key Chain. “He has an excellent feeling enjoying towards us and everybody round him could be very complementary to that assault, and when JT is doubled, Marcus Sensible pushes the tempo, performs rather well within the strikes. For Robert Williams, it is large.”
How do the nets plan to gradual Tatum? Durant is aware of that’s simpler stated than achieved.
“That is a troublesome query,” Durant stated. “He is a type of gamers it’s a must to play onerous and see what occurs. He is very gifted, expert and environment friendly at what he does. We now have to play onerous – and I anticipate that from us.”
