BOSTON — What a strategy to lose a sport.
After the Nets got here again from down 15, and after Kyrie Irving carried the burden of a whole franchise on his shoulders with a masterful efficiency in opposition to his outdated workforce, Celtics star Jayson Tatum beat the buzzer with a layup on the ultimate possession of the fourth quarter to seal a 115-114 victory over the Nets in Game 1.
“They pushed it instead of calling the timeout,” head coach Steve Nash stated postgame. “I think we took away the first action with (Jaylen Brown) and Marcus Smart. I thought we were intelligent on that action, but they got in a crack (in our defense), and somehow they found Tatum, who made an intelligent cut. Split-second here or there and I think it goes the other way.”
The Celtics now lead the first-round collection, 1-0. After the Nets appeared like they have been in place to steal Game 1 earlier than the tide turned late within the fourth.
Irving scored 39 factors on 12-of-20 capturing from the sector and carried the load whereas Kevin Durant turned in one in all his worst performances since coming back from a sprained MCL that derailed his season. Durant shot 9-of-24 from the sector and simply 1-of-5 from downtown for 23 factors. The Nets, a workforce constructed largely on starpower even after the James Harden deal, missed a standout efficiency from their celebrity ahead.
But the Nets nonetheless had an opportunity, even after blowing the opening minutes of the third quarter and permitting the Celtics to take management of the sport.
Good groups make you pay for unforced errors, and nice groups put you in debt, which is the place the Nets discovered themselves after a flurry of turnovers and forfeited offensive rebounds that gave the Celtics momentum to start out the second half.
What the Nets proved is that there is no such thing as a deficit too massive for them to beat–not when Irving’s bounce shot is clicking, and never when the function gamers step up. Goran Dragic scored 14 and Nic Claxton added 13 factors, eight rebounds and three blocks off the bench.
But the basketball gods wouldn’t have it some other means. Not when the Nets cheated the sport by popping out undisciplined and unfocused to start out the second half.
Not in Boston, the place Irving as soon as instructed the followers he needed to re-sign long-term earlier than signing a four-year take care of the Nets.
Not in Boston, hometown of Nets’ guard Bruce Brown, whose feedback about Robert Williams, Al Horford and Daniel Theis have been booed pregame when his phrases have been displayed on the jumbotron 20 minutes earlier than tipoff.
Brown stated, unprompted, that Williams — a Defensive Player of the Year candidate nursing a knee damage — being out would permit the Nets to assault Horford and Theis, two lesser defenders by advantage of age and lack of athleticism. Horford responded by saying, “My stuff gets done on the court,” then completed Game 1 with 20 factors and 15 rebounds. Brown completed with 5 factors in 37 minutes.
The Celtics had 4 gamers rating 20 or extra, led by Tatum, who scored 31 on 9-of-18 capturing from the sector. All 4 of these gamers have been in movement on the ultimate possession, when Tatum lower to the basket on an out-of-whack possession to hit the layup that delivered a victory in Game 1.
This collection is much from over. In truth, from the seems to be of issues, it simply would possibly go to Game 7. Game 1 of this collection didn’t disappoint, and that is perhaps the very best takeaway for a Nets workforce that finds itself down 0-1 within the first spherical.
Durant performed poorly and the Nets received subsequent to nothing from Brown, Seth Curry, Patty Mills and Kessler Edwards. Yet they have been nonetheless in place to win it on the buzzer. And they nonetheless have an opportunity to bounce again and swipe Game 2 earlier than the collection strikes to Brooklyn.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com