The Nets are down 3-0 in their series against the Celtics and Kyrie Irving claims that continuity is a concern. The point guard explained that his team is “in a new experience as a group,” adding that the Nets simply aren’t “gelling” in the same way that the Celtics are.
“I don’t wanna be cliche, but I don’t know how you make up time from October to now,” Irving explained after the team’s Game 3 loss.
The Celtics added pieces at the deadline to an existing core that was playing well while the Nets made a major move in shipping James Harden to Philadelphia while Irving was in-and-out of the lineup because of New York’s vaccine stance.
Brooklyn came into the series as underdogs and the differences in continuity between the two franchises may have been part of the reasons why oddsmakers set the line that way. (Boston was -155 to advance before the series began).
Ben Simmons will reportedly make his Nets’ debut in Game 4 on Monday, hoping to help the Nets come back from their 3-0 deficit (Brooklyn is +2000 to win the series at PointsBet).
More Buzz From Around The NBA
- George Hill isn’t close to returning to the Bucks’ lineup with Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reporting that the point guard could miss extended time with his abdominal strain. Hill hasn’t played since April 8. Milwaukee is also without Khris Middleton as their playoff series with the Bulls continue.
- Ja Morant missed the final nine games of the regular season with knee soreness and after Saturday’s loss to the Wolves, he admitted that he still isn’t 100%. “I can be honest right now,” Morant said (Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal). “I’m not Ja right now. I’m not playing above the rim. Most of the times when I go to the rack, I’m getting bumps. I just got to worry about finishing the bucket instead of worrying about the guys with stripes on.” Memphis and Minnesota are tied 2-2 in their first-round playoff series.
- Joel Embiid says he won’t miss time because of his thumb injury. After undergoing an MRI, it revealed that the big man has a torn ligament in his thumb. Tobias Harris is dealing with an eye injury that he suffered in Game 3 and the forward is also playing through his ailment.
- Julius Randle and Knicks executive William Wesley were courtside during the opening game of the Mavs-Jazz series and several Jazz staff members were upset about it, Ian Begley of SNY.tv relays. Donovan Mitchell has long been rumored to be a target of the Knicks and there are rumblings that New York could attempt to trade for the shooting guard this summer. Jalen Brunson is another potential target and the Mavs guard will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year.
- Trevor Keels has declared for the NBA Draft. We have Keels going to Charlotte at No. 15 in our latest mock draft.
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