Bring on Brooklyn? C’s players send message after earning No. 2 seed originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
From the outside, it seemed to make sense: If the Boston Celtics could avoid the possibility of facing the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the NBA playoffs (and draw the reeling Chicago Bulls instead), why not do it?
The Celtics declined to game the system, though — and their players seem just fine with that.
After cruising to a 139-110 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in a season-ending win that clinched the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, C’s players insisted they’re ready for anyone in Round 1.
“We’re not trying to dodge anybody,” point guard Payton Pritchard said. “We believe in ourselves. Go in and whoever we play, we’re gonna ready.”
Forsberg: The prickly path is the right path for the Celtics
Boston will play the winner of Tuesday’s play-in tournament matchup between the No. 7 Nets and No. 8 Cleveland Cavaliers. If Brooklyn wins, it means the Celtics will have to stop Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving — a duo that helped dismiss the C’s in five games of their first-round playoff series last year — without injured big man Robert Williams.
The Milwaukee Bucks seemed wary of drawing Brooklyn, as they rested all of their starters Sunday to essentially “tank” to the No. 3 seed and draw Chicago.
The Celtics are taking a decidedly different approach, though: In the locker room after Sunday’s win over Memphis, Jaylen Brown told his teammates, “No matter who we match up with, I’ll take us versus anybody.”
When asked if the Celtics sent a message (aka, “Bring on Brooklyn”) by playing all of their starters Sunday to land the No. 2 seed, veteran Al Horford responded in the affirmative.
“I think so. I think it’s pretty clear,” Horford said. “We obviously understand what’s ahead, but it’s about us and putting ourselves in the best position that we feel like we can be. And we’re ready, man. We’re ready to go.”
The Celtics’ confidence is well-founded: They went 28-7 over their final 35 games, boast the NBA’s No. 1 defense and lead the league in offensive rating since Jan. 23. There’s also still a chance they avoid Brooklyn if the Cavs pull off the upset Tuesday.
But if it’s KD, Kyrie and the Nets coming to TD Garden on Sunday, the Celtics seem eager for the challenge.
