The Boston Celtics are set to play in the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs after arriving in Brooklyn and beating the Nets at Barclays Center. Jayson Tatum exploded for 39 points in the 109-103 Game 3 victory.
Celtics D shut down Nets stars
The Nets needed a win to go home after two tough games that put them behind the returning 8-ball in Brooklyn. The Celtics defense did a terrific job on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the first two games, and didn’t change much in Game 3 on Saturday night.
Again, it was Bruce Brown who had to carry Brooklyn as Durant and Irving struggled to find their groove. Brown is the only Nets player to start each of the first three hot games, but the Celtics were keeping pace on the shoulders of Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The first quarter had an 11-change lead, but Boston took the lead just before the end of the first twelve minutes and will keep it for the last three quarters.
Net turnovers lead to easy points for Celtics
Payton Pritchard started the second quarter with seven straight points to extend the lead to 37-25. The most unlikely of offensive sources, Nic Claxton, intensified in the second quarter by scoring four baskets before halftime and sparked a 7-0 run to take the Nets to one point.
The turnovers hurt the Nets all night, but it was never more evident than in the third quarter when Kevin Durant and company turned the ball over eight times and scored just eight field goals by the end of the half.
Tatum turned it on in the third quarter after scoring 12 points in the first half. As well as Tatum was playing, Brown was keeping the Nets close despite another slow night for their two stars.
Tatum drops 27 points in the second half
Brown’s 26 points wouldn’t be enough for the Nets, who saw Irving and Durant hold on to 16 points apiece.
Irving committed his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter, and that’s when Jaylen Brown took over as he has done so often in this series. He scored seven straight points as it looked like the Nets were building a small run in the latter stages of the game.
Tatum’s 39 points and Jaylen Brown’s 23 were enough to hold the Nets up and go 3-0 on the series.
Brooklyn must now do something no team in NBA history has done, win four straight after losing the first three games of a series.
The Celtics will have a chance to sweep the Nets on Monday evening. Barclays Center tipping is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
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