The Brooklyn Nets are down 0-1 in this series and face the Celtics again tonight. The first game ended in a narrow 115-114 loss, a very close game till the final buzzer. In order to get a win tonight, the Nets need to find a way to get past the defense of the Boston Celtics.
If they can’t, they’ll find themselves in a position as they were just a few nights ago when they lost.
The Boston Celtics got a quick start to the series, jumping ahead 1-0. This will be their second game at home before they head out to Brooklyn. Getting the second win here is important since playing in Brooklyn will be much tougher.
Jayson Tatum scored 31 points in the first game of this series, and they’ll likely look to him again. Let’s build a single-game parlay for Wednesday night.
Game Preview: Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics
Between these two teams, the Nets have a slightly higher-rated offense. Ranking ninth in the NBA in points per game, the Nets put up an average of 112.94. However, on the defensive side of the ball is where they begin to have trouble.
Although they rank highly in points per game, as a defense, they rank 19th overall. On average, the Brooklyn Nets allow 112.11 points per game.
The Boston Celtics have the 12th-best offense in the NBA (see all NBA computer picks), averaging 111.80 points per game. However, this isn’t the reason why they landed the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
Their defense ranks first in the NBA in points allowed per game at 104.59. Being able to rely on this defense is why how they took Game 1 away from the Nets. So, can they do it again tonight?
Against The Spread: Brooklyn Nets +3
This is a really small spread, but we also saw how close the first game ended up. Because of this, we’ll take the Brooklyn Nets +3 in Game 2. Kyrie Irving was able to score 39 points against the Celtics in the first game.
The Nets almost completed a comeback as well after scoring 29 points in the fourth quarter. With that being said, we’ll take the Nets to win Game 2.
The Total: OVER 226
Although the Boston defense is the best in the NBA, they had trouble stopping Brooklyn. The first game of this series went over, and the total was set at 226.5. Today, it’s set at 226, and we still believe it’ll go under.
With Tatum scoring 31 and Irving putting up 39 points in the first game, this one should be high-scoring too. Especially with the lackluster defense of the Brooklyn Nets.
To Score 15 Points: Marcus Smart +102
This is a great pick to throw onto your single-game parlay, especially after his Game 1 performance. Marcus Smart put up 20 points against the Nets and shot four for nine from the three-point line. Look for him to have another strong outing against the Nets as Brooklyn’s focus is on Jayson Tatum.
Player Points: Kevin Durant OVER 29.5 (-118)
Although he didn’t have a great start to the series, Durant is due for a big game. He finished Game 1 with only 23 points and shot one for five from the three-point line. The Nets will find more ways to get him involved tonight, so we’ll take the over here.