The Boston Celtics are officially the first team to book their ticket to the second round of the NBA Playoffs are sweeping the Brooklyn Nets in four games. Many believed this was going to be a series that went down to the wire, but it was the exact opposite. The C's wiped the floor with the Nets and imposed their will on both ends of the court. In the process, they proved they should be a favorite to win a title.
Here are 4 reasons why.
4 reasons the Celtics should be 2022 title favorite after sweeping Nets
Defense
The Celtics ranked second in defensive rating this season and completely turned things around in January, becoming one of the best teams in the league at containing their opponent. Well, it was no different in the Nets series. Coming up against a Brooklyn squad headlined by two gifted scorers in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Boston completely shut them down. Kyrie dropped 39 in Game 1 then KD had 39 points in Game 4 but other than that, the star duo had zero luck taking over.
The Celtics' defensive schemes are a treat to watch. They made it their mission to stop both players, most notably Durant. The likes of Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Jaylen Brown, and DPOY Marcus Smart were absolutely hounding him all series long. Double-teams, triple-teams, you name it. Ime Udoka's squad forced KD to commit 21 turnovers in just four games. That simply doesn't happen for Durant. Although he was definitely cold, the Celtics did a tremendous job of making him uncomfortable with gritty, in-your-face D.
They say defense wins championships. Well, as of right now, this is the best defensive team left in the playoffs. After shutting down one of the best players on the planet, that leads right into the next point: Confidence.
Riding a high
Okay, not only did the Celtics beat a title contender in the Nets, but they spanked them. Beating KD and Kyrie in four straight games is going to do wonders for Boston's confidence moving forward. Brooklyn had the best championship odds before the season and the Celtics kept the receipts from last year's five-game series loss to them and bounced back with a vengeance.
The playoffs are all about finding a rhythm and just riding the high. The Celtics were easily the best team in the league since the turn of the year and already confident. But, sweeping a star-studded team like the Nets will truly give them the belief they can beat anyone, even if it's the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, who are likely their next opponent.
Jayson Tatum
If it wasn't clear by now, Jayson Tatum is a true superstar. Sure, he didn't face the top-tier defense that KD did, but Tatum outplayed the Nets star in every way imaginable. Tatum averaged 29.5 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.5 rebounds on 42% shooting from downtown in the first round, hitting numerous massive shots. He even won Game 1 with a ridiculous spin and finish at the buzzer. The Celtics forward is extremely special offensively, but what puts him in that top-tier is his two-way play. Tatum puts so much attention to detail on the defensive end and prides himself on containing anyone. In this case, he did a phenomenal job forcing KD to take tough shots or make mistakes. Tatum hasn't led the Celtics to the promised land yet, but he looks ready to do so this time around.
Literally the full package
The Celtics don't have a weak spot right now. Not only are they sound on both ends, but they have unique players who can fill a variety of roles, and with Robert Williams now back in the mix, Boston just became even scarier. He is one of the best shot-blockers in the game and makes their interior defense an absolute nightmare for the opposition.
Plus, the shooters on this squad are terrifying. Grant Williams, Payton Pritchard, Tatum, and Al Horford are all shooting over 40% from deep and thanks to the Celtics' superior ball movement, they're constantly finding clean looks. 1 through 5 can defend at a high level and get buckets. Plus, Boston is playing like a collective unit each and every night and has been for months now.
The Bucks and Heat should be worried about the Celtics. They're a whole different beast at the moment. It's going to be very interesting to see how far this team can really go in the postseason but if the first round was any indication, C's fans are going to be watching the NBA Finals at the TD Garden come June 2nd. No one is slowing them down.
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