Prediction: Celtics & Nets Evenly Matched But 1 Thing Could Swing Series

As they approached the final few days of the NBA season the Celtics has but one job.

AVOID THE FREAKIN’ NETS AT ALL COSTS!

Boston could have done this if they wanted. Put their 2 and half month death march through the NBA on pause to bypass the two seed and a potential date with Brooklyn. It wouldn’t have been cowardly as some suggested. Just steering around a big pothole on their breezy drive to the NBA Finals.

The Nets are and were BY FAR the worst possible first round opponent for any team in the East with home court. The Bucks knew this and planned accordingly. I worry the Celtics may have pulled an Icarus and flown a little too close to the sun.

“Whatever man! We don’t care who the Celtics play. Bring on all comers!”

I understand you feel that way. But tell me Mr. Overconfident Celtics fan, why you are so certain the Celtics will prevail so easily over the Nets in round one of the postseason.

“Dude, they’ve been the best team in basketball the past two and a half months. What have you been watching?”

True. If you take a 2 and half month snapshot of the Celtics and Nets, there’s really no comparison. The Nets have been an injury riddled, controversy filled, inconsistent mess while the Celtics have been the hottest team south of the Sun.

The Celtics were an absolute wagon going 28-7 to finish the season. They didn’t just beat teams, they robbed them of their manhood. The C’s were so dominant they even convinced a hard core skeptic like me that they were destined for the NBA Finals.

And then Rob got hurt.

“But they’ve got Daniel freakin’ Theis kid, they’ll be fine.”

I know some people want to pretend it’s not that big deal that Rob is out, but it’s a big F–ING deal. Williams is in my estimation the Celtics 2nd most important and impactful player. Not second best, but 2nd most important.

Without Time Lord the Celtics are still very good. With him they are freakin’ Voltron.

“But, the Nets were BRUTAL this year Mush. They BARELY made the play-in tournament.”

Yes and no. The Nets today are NOT the same team that languished in play-in purgatory for much of the season. With an unvaccinated yet available Kyrie Irving and a healthy Kevin Durant Brooklyn took the Celtics (who had Robert Williams and got a 54 point performance from Jayson Tatum) down to the wire at TD Garden back on March 6. From that game on the Nets closed the season on a 13-4 run, including a win in the play in tournament.

THAT’S the team the Celtics are facing.

“Yah, whatever pal. The Nets have NO depth. They’re basically just two guys.”

Again, with a healthy Williams and the starting 5 in tact, I couldn’t see anyone beating the Celtics. But without him, well, the Celtics are starting Daniel Theis in the playoffs, so chew on that. With KD and Kyrie plus Drummond, Bruce Brown and Seth Curry Brooklyn has a more than capable starting 5.

Looking to the bench; Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Grant Williams vs Nic Claxton, Patty Mills, Kessler Edwards, Goran Dragic. White is the best of the bunch for sure but let’s not pretend this is a huge edge to Boston.

As for the ‘just 2 guys’ argument with the Nets. Those two guys are 2 of the best basketball players in the history of , well ever. Either one is capable of beating you on their own. Add to that the possibility Ben Simmons returns (I’ll believe it when I see it) and the Nets could have more than enough ammunition to hang with Boston.

“But…but…but, SHUT UP JOHN! The Celtics are the balls!”

Yes. They were and still can be. But I am old enough to remember the months of December and January. And with the help of research aides like THE INTERNET, most of last season as well.

There is a version of this Celtics team that can devolve into isolation basketball, fail to execute late in the 4th quarter of tight games and currently lacks the inside presence to be the same defensive force they were for most of the second half of the regular season.

And the Nets…I mean last postseason without Irving and with James Harden playing on one leg Durant came within a toenail of almost singlehandedly taking out the eventual NBA Champions. He can do it again. And he’s got help.

“Whatever John. Of course you’re picking the Nets. Mr. Negative, so predictable.”

I want to. I really do. Not because I hate the Celtics, but because I think the Williams impact is that significant and without him these teams are very evenly matched. No Rob for the whole series I’m taking Durant and Kyrie over Tatum and Brown. Sorry.

However…..

My devotion to Rob may be clouding my better judgment, but I think the big guy is playing. And sooner than we think.

Williams had surgery on his torn left meniscus on March 30, with an expected recovery time of four-to-six weeks. Four weeks from March 30 is April 27, which is the date of a potential Game 5 in Boston.

I think we see him before that.

PREDICTION

Rob returns in Game 4 with the Celtics down 2 games to one. They win every game from that point forward.

Celtics in 6.