Are Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving tired against Boston Celtics? Nets' Steve Nash thinks so

Put Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the same team and what do you get? A sure-fire championship contender right?

Well, the Boston Celtics have proven that sentiment to be dead wrong.

In their first-round series against the Nets, the Celtics have outplayed and outclassed Brooklyn through three games. Boston's versatile and hard-nosed defense has stifled Irving and clamped up Durant. And on offense, Brooklyn has no clue how to stop Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the rest of the Celtics.

Brooklyn is now on the verge of being swept out of the playoffs as the Celtics are up 3-0 and hold all the momentum going into Game 4 on Tuesday.

NBA LEAGUE PASS: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial)

So what gives?

Irving is a sensational player, capable of controlling games with his offensive prowess. And Durant, well he's Kevin freaking Durant.

According to Nets coach Steve Nash the answer could simply be fatigue.

"They both got to be tired, " Nash told reporters after Boston's 109-103 Game 3 victory over Brooklyn on Saturday. "Kyrie's fasting and Kevin had to play 40-plus minutes for five, six weeks after missing six, seven weeks. We need him to play 40 minutes or we wouldn't be in the playoffs. I'm sure that's taken a big toll on Kevin, he's carried a huge burden for us for weeks on end.

"Kyrie as well, since he's been playing at home and on the road. And fasting, it can't be easy. If I go play tennis and haven't eaten, I feel like I'm going to fall over so I can't imagine how he feels in an NBA playoff game. I commend how hard he plays considering and how much minutes they both had to endure for us just to be in this position with all the injures we've had this year and all the interruptions. I feel for those guys."

Nash has a point. The Nets ask Durant and Irving to essentially carry the whole team. Durant especially has had to do so much this season with Irving missing home games for most of the year due to his unvaccinated status and of course, there was the whole James Harden trade drama. 

Durant really hasn't looked like himself in this series. Especially in Game 3, where he scored just 16 points, turned the ball over five times, took only one shot in the fourth quarter and shot 6-of-11 for the game.

Boston's defense has played a huge role in that, mucking things up and preventing Durant from getting in any sort of rhythm. But could it also be fatigue? Don't tell Durant that.

"I don't think fatigue set in," Durant said after Game 3. "I feel good playing. I'm not winded. My body doesn't hurt. I wouldn't blame it on that."

Instead, Durant thinks he is just over analyzing.

"I try to figure out how to be the best version of myself and also not getting in my teammates’ way," Durant said. "Sometimes I think too much about it. Sometimes I need to go out there with no thoughts in my head and just play."

Like Durant, Irving also doesn't think fatigue or his fasting for Ramadan are the reasons for his less than stellar play. For Kryie, who scored just 16 points in Game 3, it's just a matter of "being better."

Sounds simple. But with Game 4 being a win-or-go-home situation for the Nets, Irving and Durant may need to do a lot more than just be better.

Celtics vs. Nets schedule, TV channels

(All times and dates Eastern)

*If necessary