The Boston Celtics also won their second home game once morest the Brooklyn Nets. The basis for this was a strong defensive performance in the second half, so that a 17-point deficit might still be turned around. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, in particular, had no answers once morest physical defense. Boston won 114-107.
Boston Celtics (2) vs. Brooklyn Nets (7) 114:107 (BOXSCORE), Serie: 2-0
Durant was the guests’ top scorer with 27 points (4/17 FG, 18/20 FT), but only hit 4 field goals and was forced to 6 turnovers by the Boston defense. Kyrie Irving (10, 4/13, 8 rebounds), whose jumpers didn’t want to fall, fared little better. The visitors’ best players, on the other hand, were Bruce Brown (20, 7/11, 8 rebounds) and backup guard Goran Dragic (18)
Boston held the Nets to just 42 points in the second half, and the Celtics only allowed 17 points in the fourth quarter. In addition, Boston’s top scorers also woke up in time, with Jaylen Brown scoring 10 of his 22 points (9/18) in the closing period. Jayson Tatum (19, 5/16, 10 assists), who fought defensively once morest Durant but often acted unluckily up front, contributed the decisive 7-0 run late on.
The role players had previously kept Boston in the game, especially Grant Williams (17, 4/4 FG, 6/6 FT), Al Horford (16) and Daniel Theis, who had 15 points (7/9) in 31 minutes and 6 rebounds came. Payton Pritchard scored 8 of his 10 points in the final period.
It was another heated atmosphere at the TD Garden, with Irving in particular receiving unsurprising constant booing. However, the first few minutes belonged to Bruce Brown, who scored the first 9 points of the game for Brooklyn and was worn out on defense once morest Tatum. The Celtics’ offense stalled, the guests quickly led by 14 points. Only with a small run from Williams (2 threes) did it get a little better.
However, the Nets also won the minutes without Durant, who was significantly improved compared to Game 1 up to that point. Tatum, on the other hand, remained without a field goal in the first quarter and Brown was hardly a factor until then. Brooklyn also defended much better, especially the first drive of the Celtics was often nipped in the bud. The Celtics attack often stagnated, and this time Brooklyn also controlled the boards.
Celtics defense cold Durant and Irving
Another bonus was the production of Dragic, who got into the rhythm straight off the bench and scored 16 points in the first half. Tatum, on the other hand, only scored the first goal 73 seconds before the break, followed shortly followingwards by a three. The Celtics made the score a little more bearable, but the guests still led 65:55.
And the Celtics took the momentum with them. The ball was going much better now, with Tatum in particular appearing as a playmaker. In addition, there was more pressure once morest the ball, especially once morest Durant, who once more produced too many turnovers. And so the Celtics gradually worked their way back into the game before Theis equalized the game for the first time since 0-0 with a small jumper three minutes before the end of the quarter. A lack of concentration cost Boston the momentum, unnecessary fouls gave KD easy points from the line. The Nets were ahead by +5 before the last twelve minutes (90:85).
Irving, on the other hand, was hardly to be seen and Durant’s jumpers didn’t fall either. Instead, Brown woke up on the other side and lifted the lion’s share of an 11-0 run by the Celtics. It was the hosts’ first lead of the evening, and the Nets went five minutes without a point. The guests just mightn’t think of anything else, it was almost only jump shots that smacked the ring.
Durant didn’t hit a flower pot, Tatum then made the decision for the Celtics. Two free throws, a floater and a pull-up three within 90 seconds made it 108:96 two minutes before the end. The hosts finally made this lead sovereign over time.
The star of the game: Jaylen Brown
Jayson Tatum did (almost) nothing in the halffield, not even when Boston crawled back in. Instead, it was Brown who mercilessly exploited his economies of scale and power in the second half. The forward recorded 10 of his 22 points in the closing period and was the hosts’ first option during a period when Boston desperately needed offense once morest a freezing Nets.
The flop of the game: Kevin Durant
Yes, Kyrie Irving was astonishingly pale following his explosion in Game 1 and Durant was also the Nets’ top scorer with 27 points, but rarely has KD looked as “human” as in those first two games once morest the Celtics. Durant remained without a hit from the field in the second half (0/10 FG, Premiere), and there were 4 turnovers in the second 24 minutes. KD has only had a 23.5 percent or worse rate three times in his playoff career, most recently in 2016 when KD shot 7/33 off the field once morest the Dallas Mavericks.
Celtics vs. Nets: The series at a glance
| 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 | – |
| 4 | 26. April | 1 O ‘clock | Brooklyn Nets | Boston Celtics | – |
| 5* | 28. April | TBD | Boston Celtics | Brooklyn Nets | – |
| 6* | 30. April | TBD | Brooklyn Nets | Boston Celtics | – |
| 7* | 1st May | TBD | Boston Celtics | Brooklyn Nets | – |
*if necessary