Coming into the 2022 NBA Postseason there were a lot of intriguing first-round matchups. One of them was in the Eastern Conference between the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics and No. 7 seed Brooklyn Nets.
This was arguably the most competitive and evenly matched series of the first round. Brooklyn was expected to be near the top of the Eastern Conference, but an injury to Kevin Durant midseason derailed things. That pushed them down the standings and into a matchup with the Celtics, which many thought could be a second-round or Eastern Conference Finals matchup.
Game 1 showed just how competitive this series would be. It was a back and forth affair that had plenty of theatrics in the fourth quarter. The Celtics led by 11 heading into the fourth quarter, but that lead disappeared quickly as the Nets went on a 15-2 run to start the final frame. Four points would be the largest lead the rest of the way as neither team could pull away.
Ultimately, it was the Celtics who came away with a 115-114 victory. Jayson Tatum made a layup at the buzzer after an excellent defensive possession that they were able to keep the Nets from scoring.
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When taking a look at the stats, this game couldn’t have been any closer. Each team made 42 shots and identical 19-of-24 from the foul line. The only difference was that the Celtics made 13 3-pointers in the game and the Brooklyn Nets made 12, which was ultimately the difference.
Heading into Game 2, it is hard to find an edge for either team. They are relatively even across the board, but there is one area of the game that sticks out; rebounding. As we prepare for the second game of the series, rebounding is the major x-factor to pay attention to.
Boston dominated the glass on both ends of the floor. They outrebounded the Nets 43-29 in Game 1, possessing a 14-5 edge on the offensive glass as well. Those second-chance opportunities proved fruitful, as the Boston Celtics attempted 89 shots compared to 78 for the Nets. That difference was where the game was decided.
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Boston wasn’t as efficient as Brooklyn when it came to shooting the ball, but they gave themselves plenty of more opportunities to score with their rebounding. Limiting the Nets’ second-chance points was key to picking up the win as well.
The performance on the glass by Boston is even more impressive when you consider that they are doing it without their starting center, Robert Williams III. Al Horford came up huge, grabbing 15 rebounds himself; six on the offensive glass and nine on the defensive.
Horford nearly outrebounded the entire Nets’ starting lineup by himself. Their starting five of Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry, Bruce Brown, Durant, and Andre Drummond combined for only 16 rebounds.
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For the Nets to come away with a victory on the road, they will have to get after it on the glass. Boston dominated in the paint, outsourcing Brooklyn in the restricted area 56-32.
If the Brooklyn Nets can be more competitive around the basket in Game 2, they have a great chance of coming away with an upset victory and tying the series at one win apiece. If not, the Boston Celtics are going to be heading to the Barclays Center with a commanding 2-0 lead.
