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The Brooklyn Nets will travel to the TD Garden to take on the Boston Celtics in arguably the most exciting NBA first round matchup this year.
The Nets, after early-season success, fell off the summit in the East due to a lot of uncertainty surrounding the franchise. Kevin Durant has only recently returned from a knee injury, while Kyrie Irving has been cleared to be available for home games. However, Ben Simmons is yet to make his debut for the Nets, who seem to have things falling in place just in time for the postseason.
Meanwhile, the Celtics are having an incredible season so far despite reports of unrest between players. Under rookie coach Ime Udoka, the Celtics ended the regular season in second place in the East, winning seven of their last ten games. They will once again bank on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to come up with the goods.
Match Details
Fixture: Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Sunday, Apr. 17; 3:30 PM ET (Monday, Apr. 18; 1 AM).
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA.
Brooklyn Nets Preview
The Nets have faced enormous criticism this season due to Kyrie Irving's stance against the COVID-19 vaccine. That hampered their championship aspirations, as Irving could not play the Nets' home games. However, that saga is now over, as the superstar has been cleared to play home games.
The Nets' performances also nosedived a few months ago due to Durant's injury-induced absence. From being atop the East, the Nets have come into the postseason as the seventh seed. Their roster has been plagued with injuries and COVID-19 to key players.
Brooklyn Nets Predicted Lineup
G - Kyrie Irving | G - Seth Curry | F - Bruce Brown | F - Kevin Durant | C - Andre Drummond.
Boston Celtics Preview
The Celtics were expected to make some serious noise in the East, with the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in their ranks. However, things haven't exactly gone according to plan, as they had a poor start to the season amid reports of unrest between players.
To their credit, they have turned things around since the turn of the year and look like a completely different team since the start of the season. They possess the best defense in the league, though their offense is only ranked 14th.
Boston Celtics Predicted Lineup
G - Marcus Smart | G - Jaylen Brown | F - Jayson Tatum | F - Al Horford | C - Daniel Theis.
Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics Betting Odds and Spreads - April 17th, 2022
Boston is coming into this game as the favorite. That's because of the incredible defense they have showcased all season long and superior consistency, as they are not overreliant like Brooklyn is on Durant and Irving.
Odds sourced from Draft Kings SB.
Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics Betting Tips
Brooklyn Nets
- Kevin Durant is averaging 29.9 PPG.
- Seth Curry is averaging 15 PPG.
- Kyrie Irving is available for home games.
Click here to place a bet on Kevin Durant scoring more than 31 points in this game against the Celtics.
Boston Celtics
- Jayson Tatum is averaging 26.9 PPG.
- Jaylen Brown is averaging 23.6 PPG.
- The Celtics have won seven of their last 10 games.
Click here to place a bet on this game going into overtime.
Nets vs Celtics Match Prediction
Both teams are heading into this matchup in good form, so confidence should be high in both camps. However, the Celtics have hit supreme form, winning seven of their last 10 outings and have too much firepower defensively to beat the Nets.
- Boston have won seven of their last 10 games.
- The Nets have won 24 games on the road.
- Boston have won 28 games at home.
Click here to bet on this game between the Nets and the Celtics.
Where to watch Nets vs Celtics?
You can catch live action between the two teams via the NBA League Pass. The game will also be broadcast on national TV - ABC.
