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The Brooklyn Nets went through one of the most tumultuous campaigns in NBA history with a bunch of problems persisting within the organization, such as Kyrie Irving's vaccination stance, Kevin Durant's knee injury, and Ben Simmons' continued unavailability. But still, the Nets managed to claim the seventh seed in the tough Eastern Conference and face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
The intensity and entertainment of the series have lived up to the billing with the Celtics currently leading the Nets, 2-0, with Durant being atrocious in the first two games.
Others would give more credit to the Celtics' phenomenal defense than KD's inability to produce, but what's guaranteed is he must massively alter his impact if the Nets have any legitimate chance in the series.
3 things Kevin Durant must do to shake off slump against Celtics
3. Stagnant ball movement must stop
For a squad like the Nets who do not have the liberty of time in jiving together, the lack of trust and selflessness is showing blatantly. There are numerous instances wherein coach Steve Nash is able to manufacture unstoppable offensive sets for Durant and Irving, but the huge problem is adjusting when the Celtics defense tightens.
Even before KD receives the ball on the elbow or behind the arc, the initial defender plays physically on him already. Furthermore, when he is ready to attack, there are one or two men waiting to trap him and force him to lose the rock. These defensive schemes of coach Ime Udoka are terrific, but it is also succeeding because the Nets continue to rely on the sole talent of Durant and Irving on isolation-heavy sets.
2. Become more of a threat off the ball
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When KD adjusted to playing in the Golden State Warriors, it was obvious that his usage rate would plummet in a team led by Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. But the lower number of touches did not negatively affect his individual performance, as he was still effective at an incredible level. Thus, he must decide to experiment and continue being a legitimate threat even if guys like Irving or Goran Dragic are facilitating for the Nets.
With the number of minutes Durant has played over the last months, he looks exhausted in the latter moments of the series against the Celtics, so it must be imperative to lessen his usage rate. Moreover, the Nets must free him up with more screens from Andre Drummond or Nic Claxton because the number of bumps and bruises received by Durant continues to be taxing. Similar to Jayson Tatum during his Game 2 struggles, he must be adamant in keeping his teammates involved by tallying more assists or being a fantastic decoy.
1. Lessen the turnovers
In Game 2, Kevin Durant was a measly 4-of-17 from the field, but the 12 combined turnovers in the first two games have been uncharacteristic. The blunders have been more magnified because the Celtics forced most of these turnovers, leading to easy baskets on the other end.
The versatility and awareness of the Celtics defense to hound and trap Durant for the last 96 minutes have made it more susceptible for them to poke the ball loose or anticipate his long range passes to his teammates. If Durant and the Nets plan to control homecourt in Games 3 and 4, he not only needs to keep his turnovers low but his dish-offs and free throws must increase as well.
With the lack of height and defensive prowess for the Nets, the series against the Celtics has been a huge challenge this season compared to their first round skirmish last season. The rejuvenated Celtics seem like a serious threat to win it all, so the responsibility is on Durant, Irving, and Nash to bounce back and avoid going home for an early vacation. Udoka and his wards are not known to easily give up, so it must be on the Nets to escalate it a notch and reach a high level to regain their edge and confidence.
