Sporting News

Celtics Fall in First Round of Playoffs

Early Playoff Exit

The Boston Celtics were eliminated in the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs, marking their first such defeat since 2008. The Celtics were swept in four games by the Brooklyn Nets, who advanced to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs to face the Milwaukee Bucks.

Key Moments

The Celtics were led in scoring by Jayson Tatum, who averaged 25.7 points per game, but the Celtics struggled to get consistent production from their other starters. Kemba Walker, who re-signed with the Celtics in a four-year, $141 million deal last summer, was inconsistent all season and finished the playoffs averaging just 19.3 points per game. Gordon Hayward, who was acquired in the Kyrie Irving trade in 2017, averaged just 12.7 points per game in four playoff games.

The Celtics were also hurt by a lack of depth. While they had a solid starting lineup, they struggled to get consistent minutes from their bench. Daniel Theis, who was a key contributor off the bench in the regular season, was injured in the first game of the playoffs and missed the rest of the series. Enes Freedom, who was acquired in a trade with the Houston Rockets in February, was also inconsistent and finished the playoffs averaging just 3.0 points per game.

The Celtics' early playoff exit is a disappointment, but it is also an opportunity for the team to retool. The Celtics have a young roster with several promising players, and they should be able to bounce back from this early exit and contend for a championship in the future.

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