Bet Nets: Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Have Score To Settle In Boston

There may not be any birds flying in this one, but you can be sure Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets will be extra motivated.

After all, they came very close in their Game 1 road loss to the Boston Celtics, losing only after Jayson Tatum hit a bucket as a closing act. Game 2 is Wednesday night, also at Boston.

Before Tatum's heroics, Irving scored 39 points and gave the middle finger -- twice -- to Boston fans. He has since been fined $50,000 by the league, and by all accounts, that should close the book on that.

But while Irving, Kevin Durant and the Nets entered the playoffs as the No. 7 seed in the East, it's pretty evident they believe they're championship contenders. Lose Game 2, however, and they may begin to have some serious doubts.

As of now, the Celtics are 3.5-point favorites, per PointsBet, and some of that likely has to do with the fact they are again at home. Plus they still have Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and overall, you could make the case they are more balanced than the Nets.

But you can expect another close one, another fight to the finish, and the safe money is on Brooklyn. If the Nets don't outright win, they should undoubtedly cover.

Meanwhile, the over-under is set at 226. Last time, the teams combined for 231. You can expect this one to be a little more physical, with a little more defense, and therefore, a little more low-scoring. Take the under.

Again, the Nets need a win if they're anything close to the team they say are. Plus, Irving has a score to settle. This time, he is likely to let his play do all of the talking.

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