Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets Prediction, Tips & Odds – Apr. 17, 2022
In the most interesting Eastern Conference first-round series, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets will play against each other.
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Boston Celtics
An extremely interesting year is behind Boston Celtics. Last summer, there were many unexpected changes in the club structure. Longtime general manager Danny Ainge left the franchise and was replaced by Brad Stevens. This came as a complete surprise as no one knew Stevens was planning to replace the coaching chair with the directors. After taking up a new role, Stevens named Ime Udoka as his successor. That change turned out to be very good for the Celtics, although it didn’t look like that at first. It took a couple of months for the team to find cohesion with the new coach, and when that happened, the Celtics started to win and eventually finished the regular season in second place.
Jayson Tatum played the best season in his career, and Jaylen Brown was great again. However, the main reason for the excellent results is team defense. Looking at the defensive rating, the Boston franchise is first in the entire league. This generation of Celtics did not manage to reach the desired NBA finals under head coach Stevens, although they were close a couple of times, and we will find out soon how Udoka’s debut in the playoffs will go.
Boston, are you ready? ☘️#CelticPride pic.twitter.com/O6D4c2kTOT
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 13, 2022
Brooklyn Nets
When Brooklyn Nets formed a big three with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden in the summer of 2020, everyone saw them as the first favorites to win NBA League. Last year they were knocked out in the Eastern Conference semifinals by Milwaukee Bucks. However, Harden and Irving had a lot of injury problems, and the Nets always played without one of the three superstars. This year, things have gotten drastically worse. Irving has been unable to play home games in Brooklyn for most of the season because he has not been vaccinated. Harden did not hide his dissatisfaction and in February they traded him to Philadelphia for Ben Simmons, and the best shooter Joe Harris suffered a serious injury and will not play until next season.
Because of all these problems, the Nets finished the regular season in seventh place, and they had to reach the spot in the playoffs through a play-in tournament. There, they eliminated Cleveland Cavaliers without much trouble. Although they enter playoffs as the seventh seed, no one can write off the Nets with Durant and Irving in starting five.
#NetsLevel: Unlocked pic.twitter.com/2tCxSl68LK
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 13, 2022
H2H
Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets are in the same division. Because of that, they played four mutual games this season, and the Celtics have won three times. The only match the Nets won was at the start of the season in November. In the regular season, the Celtics were the second-best home team in the East, while the Nets were the second-best road team in the conference.
Injuries
Celtics starting center Robert Williams could miss the entire series due to a knee injury, and all other players are available.
Joe Harris and Ben Simmons will not play for Nets in this game.
Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets Prediction
Apart from Durant and Irving, the Nets do not have many players capable of hitting a large number of shots in the game. Celtics’ defense is excellent this season and they will find a way to slow down the Nets’ offense the start of the series should go in their favor, while the Nets are expected to find a way to adjust through this series.
Prediction: Boston Celtics -2.5HC
Odds: 1.72
Bookmaker: 20bet
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