Celtics vs. Nets: Game 3 prediction, pick, TV channel, NBA playoffs live stream, how to watch online

After dropping the first two games of the series in Boston, the Nets will look to bounce back in Brooklyn in Game 3. Though they’re down 2-0, the Nets should feel at least a bit of optimism heading into the third game, as both of the first two games were pretty close — the Nets lost them both by a total of eight points. Plus, that happened with two straight subpar performances from Kevin Durant, who has had an extremely tough time overcoming Boston’s smothering defense. 

Also, there’s help on the horizon for Brooklyn as Ben Simmons is expected to make his season debut for the Nets in Game 4. Though that won’t help the Nets on the court in Game 3, it could give them an additional boost knowing that they have an All-Star-caliber player waiting in the wings. Simmons’ return might not matter too much if the Nets drop Game 3 and fall behind 3-0 in the series, as no team in NBA history has ever come back from such a deficit. If they are able to pull out a win in Game 3 and get Simmons back for Game 4, though, things could get interesting. 

With that said, here’s everything you need to know about the third game between Boston and Brooklyn. 

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Brooklyn Nets

• When: Saturday, April 23 | 7:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Barclay’s Center — Brooklyn, New York
• TV: ESPN | Live stream: Watch ESPN
• Odds: BOS +140; BKN -160; O/U 223 (via Caesars Sportsbook)

Storylines

Celtics: The big storyline for the Celtics heading into Game 3 is the return of Robert Williams. Williams has been out since March 27 with a torn meniscus, but he intends to return and play limited minutes for Boston in Game 3. Williams was the anchor to Boston’s defense all season, and though they have fared well without him against Brooklyn so far, the Celtics will undoubtedly be happy to have him back, as he established himself as one of the league’s elite rim protectors during the regular season. If things go well for Williams in Game 3, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Williams would be expected to resume a significant workload in Game 4.

Nets: Brooklyn has to find a way to get Kevin Durant going in the third game of the series. While he scored 50 total points over the first two games, he shot just 13 of 41 from the floor, and he turned the ball over six times both games. We’re not accustomed to seeing Durant being inefficient from the field and not taking good care of the ball, but that’s exactly what happened during the first two games of the series, thanks largely to Boston’s tenacious defense. 

As the head coach, it’s Steve Nash’s job to draw up some plays to get Durant some easier opportunities, so that he could potentially find a rhythm in Brooklyn that he was unable to find in Boston. The Nets will go as far as Durant can take them, so if he can get back on track, the Nets could quickly climb back into the series. If not, the series likely won’t last long. 

Prediction

You rarely see Kevin Durant play two subpar games in a row, and thus it seems likely that he’ll have a bounce-back performance in Game 3. Given how close the first two games were without him playing near his best, a solid game from Durant could be enough in itself to propel Brooklyn to a win. Getting away from the hostile crowd in Boston and getting to play within the friendly confines of the Barclays Center should help, too. Pick: Nets – 3