Nets Coach Steve Nash Reveals Truth About Ben Simmons, Celtics Matchup

The Brooklyn Nets get past Cleveland Cavaliers in the play-in tournament and will now head to a first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.

After scoring a whopping 40 points in the opening quarter, the Nets never looked back and went on to dominate the game, beating the Cavs 115-108 on Tuesday, April 12.

However, the availability of All-Star newcomer Ben Simmons is still one of the biggest questions so far.

Nets head coach Steve Nash reportedly said that Simmons “hasn’t started sprinting” yet.

Despite the 25-year-old’s Brooklyn debut still up in the air, Nash can already picture how he could utilize the All-Star point guard.

“The bottom line is we’d be adding a substantial talent to our team so we really welcome him,” Nash told Mass Live of Simmons. “He fits and he helps in a number of ways.”

“We’re in need of help so we would welcome that challenge of trying to incorporate him in a playoff situation where he has no history with our team, no minutes on the floor with his teammates, and see how we can forge that understanding as quickly as possible,” he continued.

In their first play-in game together, Nets dynamic duo Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving did not fail to deliver.

Durant finished with 25 points and 11 assists, but it was Irving who led all Brooklyn scorers with 34 points and 12 assists.

“That’s as advertised,” Nash said of Durant and Irving’s performance against the Cavs. “They’re superstars. It’s what top players do.”

The Nets will now face the second-seeded Boston Celtics in Round 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

Ahead of the series, Nash admitted that he expects a “difficult” stretch given the C’s are more accustomed to playing with each other compared to their newly-formed group.

However, he is also hoping that Boston’s advantages could bring out the best in them.

“I think it’s difficult,” the 48-year-old stated in the post-game press conference. “We have a different team now, but [I’m] really impressed with the Celtics. They’ve been able to build on that continuity.”

“That group’s been together for quite a while and they’ve made some tweaks and adjustments that I think have really improved their team on both ends of the floor, so it’ll be a great challenge for us,” he added. “For a new group to go and play a team like that, it’s going to be something that hopefully brings out the best in us.”

The Game 1 of Celtics vs. Nets will tip off on Sunday, April 17 at the TD Garden in Boston.