The Boston Celtics actually ended the Brooklyn Nets’ season early following just four games! The Celts win a thriller 116-112 and defy a late comeback attempt by the Nets – even without Jayson Tatum.
The Celtics superstar was the best man on the floor for long stretches of the game, but had six fouls on the bench a few minutes before the end. In 36 minutes he still collected 29 points (9/16 FG, 4/6 trebles) and 5 assists.
He received support from Jaylen Brown (22) and Marcus Smart (20 and 11 assists). Grant Williams also contributed 14 points from the bench, Daniel Theis scored 6 points and 8 rebounds with 4 fouls in 20 minutes. The Celtics took revenge for their first-round loss to Brooklyn last year and now meet the Bucks vs. Bulls winners in the second round of the playoffs.
For the Nets, who started the season as title favorites, the season ended in disappointment. Kevin Durant defended himself once morest the sweep with 39 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds, but he didn’t score particularly well (13/31 FG and 3/11 three-pointers). Kyrie Irving ended the game with 20 points and 5 assists, but he dived too often. Seth Curry (23, 5/9 threes) was the second best Nets scorer, Nic Claxton (13, but 1/11 FT!), Goran Dragic (10) and Blake Griffin (0, 4 rebounds) also showed from the bench. minimum effort and a few good minutes.
Since Ben Simmons wasn’t ready for his comeback following all – unlike in the previous games, he wasn’t on the bench either – there were no changes in the Nets’ starting five, and Boston also went into the game with the usual staff. The most important adjustment for the home side: Durant aggressively looked for his own throw from the start, 7 of the first 10 net points went to his account.
Boston Celtics get off to a good start – Durant fights back
But the strong Celtics defense is troubling Brooklyn once more, as shown, for example, by two blocks in a row once morest Irving. There were also numerous whistles once morest the Nets, and the guests quickly pulled away to 22:12. Only three minutes before the end of the quarter did Irving mark his first points with a pull-up three-pointer, while Brooklyn gradually fought its way up to 26:30.
After an inconspicuous first round, Tatum then started hot with several jumpers over smaller defenders. Theis cleared one of his now rare misses per Putback-Dunk on. Durant kept his team in the game, but several corner threes from Williams eventually put Boston at 58-50 at halftime.
After the change of sides, Nic Claxton made good use of some of the free space created by double teams once morest KD with dunks and hook shots, only nothing worked on the free-throw line. When he scored the first goal in the eleventh attempt (!), loud cheers erupted. Even though Brooklyn scored well, they just mightn’t defend Boston – especially not with an ultra-small lineup. Tatum scored almost at will, whether it was a three-pointer over the board or a difficult fadeaway. The lead grew to 15 points and the fourth quarter was 90:78.
A 6-0 start by the Nets in the final section and an early Celtics time-out gave the home fans some hope of being able to avoid the sweep. Tatum responded with a dunk and three for Boston, but then conceded his fifth foul. Horford and Smart jumped into the breach from downtown, on the other hand Dragic sank important buckets – including a triple over the board to -3 from the Nets point of view.
Celtics Respond To Late Nets Run – Sweep For Boston!
But as so often in this series, Boston had the right answer to the opponent’s run. But it remained exciting, 2:48 minutes before the end Tatum had to get out with his controversial sixth foul. Irving reported back following a few minutes of inconspicuous play, Durant set up an aggressive drive to -1 a good one and a half minutes before the end.
Boston was playing very slowly now, Durant brought a pullup three to the ring, Brown raised for Boston. A steal attempt by Smart ended in a foul and Durant at the free throw line. But he failed with his second attempt and on the other side Horford made a two-possession game perfect following an offensive rebound. Durant’s next attempt from downtown was once more just too long, Boston secured the rebound and made everything clear – sweep for the Celtics!
The most important statistics
Brooklyn Nets (7) vs. Boston Celtics (2) 112:116 (BOXSCORE), Serie: 0-4
- The Nets’ offense was not the problem in the first half, Brooklyn scored more than 50 percent from the field and thus significantly better than Boston (42.2 percent). But: The Celts grabbed 6 offensive rebounds, resulting in 8:0 Second Chance Points. As the game progressed, the 1.90 meter man Dragic (3 offensive rebounds) of all people helped to ensure that the duel on the boards did not end too one-sided (10:8 offensive rebounds for Boston).
- The second big but: free throws. Brooklyn had even more trips to the Charity Stripe (13 to 11 FTA) but only 6 Nets points to the 10 Celtics goals. That was solely due to Nic Claxton, who was 0/7 from the line at the break. Over the series, he hit at 4/22 – the third player in NBA history to hit under 20 percent from the free throw line in a playoff series. Ultimately, his first 10 free throws went wrong, which hasn’t happened since Shaq 2006.
- The turnovers from the previous game were no longer a problem for the Nets this evening. Ultimately, the statisticians recorded only 10 turnovers for the home side, and only one in the fourth quarter. But Boston was also very careful with the ball (13 turnovers).
- For Durant, it was the 30th playoff series of his career and saw his opponent sweep for the first time. Tatum’s 118 points from four games, meanwhile, was the most by a Celtics player in a four-game sweep.
The star of the game: Jayson Tatum
His sixth foul wasn’t necessarily justified, so he mightn’t help his team in the final minutes. But before that, the 24-year-old was the dominant figure – once more. His shotmaking was outstanding at times, but he also had some strong scenes as a playmaker.
The flop of the game: Kyrie Irving
It was telling that Durant’s co-star went by the name of Goran Dragic for much of the fourth quarter – there was little of Irving except for two crunchtime buckets. But even before that, the point guard seemed strangely absent, shortly before the end he completely refrained from a boxout once morest Horford, which the Celtics big punished with a much too easy tip-in to 113:109.
The scene of the game
This scene was in a way emblematic of the whole series. After his missed free throw shortly before the end, Durant only trotted back at -2, Kyrie missed the boxout once morest Horford and he practically closed the sack with his offensive rebound. Brooklyn had apparently already given up.
NBA Playoffs – Celtics vs. Nets: The Series at a Glance (4-0)
| Spiel | Datum | time | Heim | away | result |
| 1 | 17. April | 9:30 p.m | Boston Celtics | Brooklyn Nets | 115:114 |
| 2 | 21. April | 1 O ‘clock | Boston Celtics | Brooklyn Nets | 114:107 |
| 3 | 24. April | 1:30 | Brooklyn Nets | Boston Celtics | 103:109 |
| 4 | 26. April | 1 O ‘clock | Brooklyn Nets | Boston Celtics | 112:116 |
