Kevin Durant Explains Why Nets Respect Celtics Ahead Of NBA Playoffs

A matchup against the Brooklyn Nets certainly isn’t what the Boston Celtics drew up, but the teams will go at it in the first round of the NBA Playoffs on Saturday.

Entering the series, the Nets own a 3-0 advantage over Boston across the course of the season. And if that wasn’t discouraging enough, Brooklyn was without at least Kevin Durant, James Harden or Kyrie Irving for each of the games.

But all those facts aside, Durant claims the Nets aren’t taking the matchup lightly, even with Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown done for the season.

“Well they’re a team that has been tested before in the playoffs, had long runs,” Durant on Wednesday said, via NBC Sports Boston. “Multiple guys on their team have been a part of those runs, so the continuity plays a big factor in who they are. They play physical and move the basketball so we got our work cut out for us. We respect the team, you know, Jaylen Brown injured. One of their key pieces, but they still rallied behind each other and played extremely hard.”

You can bet the Celtics know it won’t be easy against the Nets, either.

Tip-off between Boston and Brooklyn is Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.