Google News Kevin Durant 'irked' by Bruce Brown's comments about Celtics
by | VIEW 554
Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant wasn't with some of the comments his teammate Bruce Brown made after the team secured a playoff spot. On Tuesday, the Nets claimed a 115-108 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the play-in game for the No.
7 seed. After beating the Cavaliers and securing a first round berth with the Boston Celtics, Brown suggested the Nets should look at attacking the Celtics in the paint since their big man Robert Williams lll is injured. "We respect our opponents," Durant said, per ESPN.
"We don't need to talk about what we're going to do to them. I just don't like that, but that's how Bruce is. He comes in and keeps the same energy throughout the whole season so -- but we don't need to say s--- like that. Let's just go out there and hoop."
The comments that irked Durant
"We can't let [Jayson] Tatum get 50," Brown said.
"We got to be physical with them. Now they don't have Robert Williams, so they have less of a presence in the paint, and we could attack Al Horford and [Daniel] Theis. So them not having Robert Williams is huge." During his press conference, Durant addressed Brown's comments.
"What did Bruce Brown say when he got up here?" Durant asked the assembled media. "He said something I didn't like, somebody just told me." Durant underlined the Nets can take the Celtics' front court for granted. "That's caffeine pride talking," Durant said.
"He takes something before the game. Those two dudes [Horford and Theis] can do the same stuff. It ain't going to be that easy, I tell you that." Meanwhile, Nets guard Kyrie Irving pointed out the Nets will have to do their best to try to find ways to stop Jayson Tatum.
"It starts with really slowing JT down," Nets guard Kyrie Irving said. "He has a great feel playing against us, and everyone else around is very complementary to that attack; and when JT's getting doubled, Marcus Smart is pushing the pace, he's playing well hitting shots.
Al Horford's dominating the offensive rebounds, and Daniel Theis filling in for Robert Williams, it's big." When asked how the Nets could maybe stop Tatum, Durant didn't have a clear answer. "That's a tough question," Durant said.
"He's one of those players you just got to play hard and see what happens. He's just so talented and skilled and efficient at what he does. We gotta just play hard -- and I expect us to."