The Celtics’ protection discovered precisely how to defend Kevin Durant, applying an assortment of appears, so considerably size and even more aggressiveness to decrease the superstar all through the 4-game sweep.
Boston was considerably less subtle in attacking Nic Claxton’s weak spot: Just foul him a ton.
Hack-a-Clax took above the Nets’ 116-112 Video game 4 reduction at Barclays Center on Monday night, when the Nets center skipped his very first 10 no cost throws, showing up to have a lot less self confidence with just about every a single and inducing louder and louder groans from the house group.
The Nets ended up 6 of 15 from the line in the 1st half, 7 of those people misses by Claxton. They trailed at the split by 8.
It was not a pure throwback to Hack-a-Shaq — Claxton commonly only was fouled when he was in close proximity to the hoop — but the Celtics tried using to strike him really hard any time he was underneath.
Claxton went -for-6 from the line in the 1st quarter, skipped one particular additional in the second and bricked 3 in the third before ultimately hitting his 11th test. Until finally the final minutes of the fourth quarter when the sport was hanging in the stability, the creating was loudest upon Claxton swishing a single absolutely free throw.
“We all go through periods like that,” coach Steve Nash reported of the 23-year-old, who basically experienced enhanced his foul capturing this period, leaping from 48.4 p.c to 58.1 per cent. “He’s a younger player participating in in a huge activity, and he’s a developing totally free-toss shooter, so to discuss.
“And so I felt for him, but that’s component of the rising pains, and he’s presented a whole lot for us the previous couple months.”
Someway, Claxton however supplied a fairly successful game. The most agile and athletic centre the Nets have, he was 6 of 6 from the industry for 13 points with 6 rebounds, getting up the minutes that Andre Drummond utilised to get.
Claxton is the much better defender, while he viewed from the bench during the fourth quarter, when Blake Griffin received the bulk of the large-man minutes.
“Proud of him no subject what,” Nash reported of Claxton, who went 4 of 22 from the line in the collection. “I think that he’ll grow from this.”
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