Celtics-Nets preview: Ranking the 10 most important players in series
This isn't your traditional No. 2 vs. No. 7 matchup, folks.The Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets will square off in a star-studded first-round NBA playoff series that tips off Sunday afternoon. On one side are young stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who lead a Celtics team that won 33 of its last 41 games and have been the best team in the East by a wide margin since late January.On the other side? All-world talents Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, who are two of the best postseason performers of their era with three championships between them.Those four players will take center stage, but if this series goes a full seven games, it very well could be decided by which role players make the biggest impact. So, to preview Celtics-Nets, we're ranking the 10 most important players in this series. (And yes, we'll address the Robert Williams and Ben Simmons injuries.)
Celtics: Payton Pritchard, Grant Williams
Nets: Seth Curry, Patty Mills
Pritchard and Curry were hard to leave off here. The former emerged as a major contributor off Boston's bench late in the season, averaging 9.1 points and 2.3 made 3-pointers over his final 20 games. The latter has been hobbled by an ankle injury but like Pritchard is an excellent 3-point shooter who's averaging nearly 15 points per game for Brooklyn.
Neither player can make much of an impact if their shots aren't falling, though, and we're valuing all-around contributions in these rankings.
(Quick note: We're ranking the players who will be available to start the series, so neither Robert Williams and Ben Simmons are on the list. There's a chance both players return at some point, though, so we'll share our hypothetical rankings for both players at the end.)
2021-22 stats: 8.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.1 blocks (47 games)
A poor man's Robert Williams, Claxton flashed his upside in the play-in tournament by swatting five Cleveland Cavaliers shots with nine boards.
The Celtics are at their best when Tatum and Brown are getting to the basket, but if Claxton can deliver more performances like Tuesday night's block party, he'll make a legitimate impact on this series by altering shots and throwing Boston's offense off its rhythm.
2021-22 stats (with Nets): 11.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.0 blocks (24 games)
Simmons and Curry have more upside, but Drummond has been the most consistent contributor among the trio that came over from Philadelphia at the NBA trade deadline.
While he's not particularly mobile, the 28-year-old veteran is the team's top rebounder and a double-double machine who could impose his presence in the paint on both ends with Robert Williams sidelined.
2021-22 stats (with Celtics): 11.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 30.6 3PT% (26 games)
White is an excellent fit with Boston's core in many ways. He moves the ball quickly on offense and can guard multiple positions on defense. The former Spur is also showing signs of emerging from his outside shooting slump -- he connected on 55.6% of his 3-pointers over the Celtics' final five games.
The Celtics will need White to carry that momentum into the postseason and make the Nets pay for loading up to stop Tatum and Brown.
2021-22 stats: 9.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 40.4% 3PT
If the Celtics throw double-teams at Durant and Irving, then Brown could be a very important player in this series. The Boston-area native was Durant and Irving's first passing option out of the double team against Cleveland in the play-in game, and he rewarded their trust with 16 points and eight assists.
Brooklyn went 11-5 this season when Brown scored 15 points or more, and the Nets will have a very good chance of winning any game in which he provides significant secondary scoring/playmaking behind Durant and Irving.
2021-22 stats: 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 blocks, 33.6 3PT%
Horford's stat lines won't blow you away, but he'll do everything needed of him, from hitting an open 3-pointer to bringing the ball up on the fast break to controlling the paint with rebounds and blocked shots.
The Celtics will be leaning on Horford for those last two tasks in Robert Williams' absence, as the 35-year-old is Boston's best defensive option against Drummond and Claxton.
If "Ageless Al" can continue to turn back the clock as the anchor of Ime Udoka's frontcourt, that'd go a long way in preventing the Nets from winning the paint battle.
2021-22 stats: 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 33.1 3PT%
There's a reason why Boston won 28 of its final 35 games after Smart returned from a six-game COVID-related absence in late January. The longest-tenured Celtic has thrived in his true point guard role, posting career-high assist numbers while helping the C's surge to the NBA's best offensive rating in that 35-game span.
Oh, and he's also the likely Defensive Player of the Year winner who will be crucial to Boston's efforts in slowing down Durant and Irving. If you had Smart ahead of Jaylen Brown on this list, we wouldn't call you crazy.
2021-22 stats: 23.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 35.7 3PT%
The Celtics need to get off fast starts in this series to put Brooklyn on the defensive. Enter Brown, who ranked 10th in the NBA this in first-quarter scoring this season at 7.4 points per game.
The 25-year-old is Boston's offensive tone-setter, and he's also become a better facilitator of late (4.1 assists per game after the All-Star break) to take some of the heat of Tatum.
Tatum is playing at a near-MVP level right now, but he can't win this series on his own. The Celtics need Brown in attack mode against a vulnerable Nets defense that will have its hands full if both of Boston's young stars are on. (Case in point: The C's are 9-0 all-time when Tatum and Brown each score 30-plus points.)
2021-22 stats: 27.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 41.8 3PT% (29 games)
Speaking of having your hands full... Irving is one of the most gifted offensive players of his generation who can create his shot against virtually any defender. Kyrie's masterclass against the Cavs -- 34 points on 12-of-15 shooting with 12 assists -- was a reminder of how he can take over games with his offensive creativity.
The good news for Boston is that Irving can be exploited on the defensive end, and it's possible his stamina could be a factor if he's playing 40-plus minutes per night after not playing in home games for much of the season.
Then again, Irving thrives on the big stage and hit one of the most clutch shots in NBA playoff history during the 2016 Finals. If he and Durant are in full form, there's no better duo in the league.
2021-22 stats: 26.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 35.3 3PT%
Tatum reportedly believes he's the "best player in the world." His confidence isn't unfounded.
At just 24 years old, Tatum is a legitimate candidate to make First-Team All-NBA after setting career highs in points, rebounds and assists this season. That last number might be the most important: Tatum has taken massive steps as a facilitator and now can create shots for others as well as generate his own offense on command.
There's no better opportunity for Tatum to prove he belongs among the NBA's elite. If he can outduel Irving and Durant -- especially in the fourth quarter with the game on the line -- he'll gain even more respect across the league.
2021-22 stats: 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 38.3 3PT%
Tatum believes he's the best player in the world. Durant actually might be the best player in the world -- especially in the postseason.
A two-time NBA Finals MVP, Durant has averaged 29.5 points over 151 playoff games. He toyed with the Cavs on Tuesday, assuming a facilitator role for most of the game (11 assists) before drilling a couple daggers late to finish with 25 points.
Like Irving, Durant can get his shot from anywhere at anytime. The Celtics' goal will be to make those shots as difficult as possible and hope that either Durant or Irving has a relative off-night.
If both stars play like they did Tuesday night, Brooklyn will be very hard to beat.
Robert Williams: There's reportedly a "very real" chance Williams returns by Game 5 or 6 of this series after left meniscus surgery on March 30. His presence would be a huge boost for Boston: The athletic big man has emerged as a premier lob threat on offense and wreaked havoc as the Celtics' shot-blocking "free safety" on defense.
If Williams can return to that level in this series, we'd rank him No. 4 on this list, ahead of Smart and behind Brown.
Ben Simmons: ESPN's Brian Windhorst reports that Simmons could make his Nets debut as early as Game 4 in this series. But the 25-year-old hasn't played since the 2021 playoffs with Philadelphia due to mental health reasons and a back injury, so he'd have a lot of rust to shake off.
Simmons has plenty of upside in Brooklyn: He'd give them an added playmaking dimension and would be the team's top defensive option to slow down Tatum and Brown. We're just skeptical he can hit the ground running for a brand-new team after a full year off, so assuming Williams is in the top 10 as well, we'd rank Simmons No. 6 -- ahead of Horford and behind Smart, Williams and Brown.
