Getty Blake Griffin drives to the lane against two Pistons defenders
The Brooklyn Nets blew the doors off of the Boston Celtics on Tuesday to take a 2-0 lead in the series. The Celtics never really stood a chance against the Nets who were focused from the opening tip.
Brooklyn crushed Boston by a score of 130-108. Despite trailing by as many as a dozen in the first half of Game 1, the Nets have found themselves in complete control of this series, and with each possession, look more and more capable of sweeping the Celtics.
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Blake Griffin Shows Us He’s Still Got the Juice
When you lead by as many as 32 points in the contest, everyone is going to get a chance to get a piece of the action, and that was the case for six-time All-Star Blake Griffin. Griffin who during his time with the Detroit Pistons was viewed as a player who had seemed to have lost a step of athleticism has found new water in Brooklyn.
Griffin sent Barclays Center off the Richter Scale with two thunderous left-handed dunks during Tuesday’s game against the Celtics. After not registering a single dunk with the Pistons this season, Griffin has registered 19 dunks with the Nets and he has only been in Brooklyn since March. He has indeed found the fountain of youth in Brooklyn.
THROW IT DOWN, BLAKE
.@blakegriffin23 got up with the left 🔨🔨
🎥 @MaimonidesMC Play of the Game
Blake Griffin dunks
Last 25 Pistons games: 0
First 28 Nets games: 19
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Nic Claxton Sounds off on His Role in the Playoffs
Despite the Nets having an overabundance of talent, head coach Steve Nash has implored his entire team to stay ready because every man on their roster could be needed at a given moment. One reserve in particular that could be called upon deep into Brooklyn’s playoff run is their center Nic Claxton, especially with the Brooklyn’s scarce collective of big men.
Nash called upon Claxton early in the Nets Game 1 win against the Celtics on Saturday. Claxton put up 6 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block. Although his playing time is limited, Claxton is learning to make the most out of every opportunity that he is given.
“I know it was good to get out there and get my feet in my first playoff game just feeling the different intensity of the game,” Claxton told reporters after the win via NetsDaily. “Like I said, I just have to stay ready and be ready for whatever minutes the coaches decide they want me to play.”
With the sudden retirement of LaMarcus Aldridge earlier this season, Nash has had to rely more than usual on Claxton as he has size and athleticism that can be used to the Nets’ advantage especially on the fast break. With this being his first playoff run Claxton is just building off of what he did in the regular season and applying it in the playoffs.
“Obviously, this is pretty much a new season — the postseason — so just me building off what I did in the regular season, affecting the game defensively, bringing the intensity off the bench, being able to guard one-though-five, being able to protect the rim,” Claxton continued. “I had a few plays last game where I was little late. Just being all the way engaged and piggy-backing off what I was able to do in the regular season with just being that energy guy for us and helping us out a lot on the defensive end.”
The Nets players have insisted that they are just taking things one game at a time. However, already up 2-0 heading to Boston, the Nets’ chances of sweeping the Celtics are looking more and more inevitable.
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