Brooklyn defense bullies Boston in second half of Game 1 win
The Brooklyn Nets took care of business on their home court in a defensive battle from the Barclays Center. The Big Three made their playoff debut, and led the two seed in the East to a 104-93 win over the Boston Celtics.
It was a slow start for the Nets, who saw their big three take to the court together for just the ninth time all year. Boston came out hot from downtown connecting on nine of their first 17 threes in the first half.
Boston three point shooting gave Celtics early edge
Boston led the entire first half, as Tatum led the guys in green into the halftime break with the advantage. An early 11-0 run from the Nets shifted the balance of the game as Brooklyn took control of the scoreboard and the pace of play.
Brooklyn locked down on D in second half
Brooklyn’s defense stepped up and kept Jayson Tatum and company quiet from downtown, holding Boston to just 2-13 from behind the arc in the second half.
There were times, especially in the first half, Brooklyn seemed a bit out of synch with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden on the floor together. Harden took on the role of playmaker dishing off eight assists, most of which ended up in the hands of Durant who had 32 on the night.
KD led all scorers, while Irving posted 29 points and Harden added 21 points but it was the defense that made the difference down the stretch in game one.
Tatum tamed by Nets D
The Nets defense allowed just 40 points in the final two quarters, and kept Tatum contained for most of the night. Tatum finished the night with 22 points but shot just 6-20 from the field.
Kemba Walker is going to have to be Bostons number two after Jaylen Brown has been ruled out for the season. The former UCONN star didn’t find his rhythm on the offensive end until deep in the fourth quarter. Walker ended with 15 points on 5-16 shooting.
The Nets move to 1-0 in the series and 4-0 against Boston this year. Game two will be played on Tuesday night from the Barclays Center.
The Brooklyn Nets took care of business on their home court in a defensive battle from the Barclays Center. The Big Three made their playoff debut, and led the two seed in the East to a 104-93 win over the Boston Celtics.
It was a slow start for the Nets, who saw their big three take to the court together for just the ninth time all year. Boston came out hot from downtown connecting on nine of their first 17 threes in the first half.
Boston three point shooting gave Celtics early edge
Boston led the entire first half, as Tatum led the guys in green into the halftime break with the advantage. An early 11-0 run from the Nets shifted the balance of the game as Brooklyn took control of the scoreboard and the pace of play.
Brooklyn locked down on D in second half
Brooklyn’s defense stepped up and kept Jayson Tatum and company quiet from downtown, holding Boston to just 2-13 from behind the arc in the second half.
There were times, especially in the first half, Brooklyn seemed a bit out of synch with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden on the floor together. Harden took on the role of playmaker dishing off eight assists, most of which ended up in the hands of Durant who had 32 on the night.
KD led all scorers, while Irving posted 29 points and Harden added 21 points but it was the defense that made the difference down the stretch in game one.
Tatum tamed by Nets D
The Nets defense allowed just 40 points in the final two quarters, and kept Tatum contained for most of the night. Tatum finished the night with 22 points but shot just 6-20 from the field.
Kemba Walker is going to have to be Bostons number two after Jaylen Brown has been ruled out for the season. The former UCONN star didn’t find his rhythm on the offensive end until deep in the fourth quarter. Walker ended with 15 points on 5-16 shooting.
The Nets move to 1-0 in the series and 4-0 against Boston this year. Game two will be played on Tuesday night from the Barclays Center.
Game one is all over from Brooklyn. The Nets pulled away from the Celtics in the fourth quarter to take the series opener.
Harden back to the line, knocks down one of two.
Irving to the line, hits both free throws.
Walker to the line, hits both FTs with under a minute to go in the fourth.
Walker with back to back threes. A little to late for Walker to get in to the game and make a difference.
1:30 to go in the fourth quarter. Harden to the line and hits both
Walker on the three ball
Tatum fouled by KD on the three pointer. After a challenge the foul was ruled a flagrent. So free throws and possesion for Boston. Tatum hits all three and the Celtics have possesion.
Irving all alone downlow and this one looks like it in the books.
Green for three on the right side
Timout Boston, with 3:22 to go in the fourth quarter.
Irving soaring in for the tip in
Under four to go in Brookly
KD to the line after the Tatum foul, splits the pair.
Williams on the put back!
9-0 run for the Nets
Irving fouled on the drive. Goes to the line and hits both
KD on the steal and the slam! He's got 31
Irving drops a three and lead is up to eight
Irving on the step back from inside the arc
Timeout at the Barclays Center. Seven minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Parker fouled, goes to the line and hits hits both
Fournier under that basket off the feed from Smart
Harden at the line, hits two of two
Claxton follows the Harris miss with a tap in
Tatum to Williams on the Alley Oop. He's doing it on the offensive end and defensive end.
Back in play at the Barclays Center.
Third quarter is done. The Nets took control of the lead after the Celtics were up the entire first half. Boston are holding but Brooklyn lead be five going into the fourth.
Harden off the dribble, getting to the basket and finishing with the left hand
Williams attacking the basket on the second attempt.
Parker with a steal and the score.
Parker taking it to the rack
Durant off the dribble, hits a 20 foot jumper
Durant back to the line, sinks both, he's now 10 for 10 from the stripe
Tatum 2 for 2 from the line.
Smart with back to back buckets.
Harris on a long ball from the right side
Smart with a long two
Irving with a foot insde the three point line on the pull up
Timeout from the Barclays Center. Brooklyn starting to find their groove The Celtics are trying to keep up
Thompson gets the bucket after the offensive rebound and will go to the line to shoot two.
Five minutes to go in the thrid quarter.
Pull up off the glass for Irving
Tatum with a couple free throws ends the Nets run
Harden drills the three from the top of the key. 11-0 run for the Nets.
KD on the catch and shoot. He's got 25 points
KD on the pull up three from the left side in the face of Fourier. Timeout Boston.
Irving levels this game up with a long ball
Walker with a step back jumper
Thompson skying for the tip slam off the Smart missed three
Harden on the step back three ball. Nets lead early in the third
KD with a couple free throws.
Back in play at the Barclays Center, and KD going back to work with the first basket of the second half.
Kevin Durant leads all scorers with 16 points through two quarters. Tatum has 15 and is getting some big help from Marcus Smart
The Celtics have shot 9 for 17 from three point range. The Nets are just 1 of 13 from downtown.
The first half come to an end with the Boston Celtics leading the Brooklyn Nets.
Smart to the lin, hits one of two.
Less than a minute to go in the second half.
Brown on the leaner, cuts it to a five point game.
Durant with the pull-up off the dribble
Fournier from downtown
Durant with a couple of free throws.
Williams on the fade away from outside the paint
Harris answers back with a three ball
Smart with a three bal fromt he right side.
Griffin to the line for FTs, makes one of two.
Smart to the line, hits one of two FTs.
Irving getting to the bucket, and knocking down the layup
Smart with a triple try
Willams down low Smart with the assist.
Durant on the baseline slam off the feed from Griffin
Nesmith hits two free throws.
Durant pulls up from the baseline.
Tatun on the high finger roll off the glass
Irving off the bank, gets the bucket and takes a bump. Kyrie hits the and 1. Walker to the bench with his third foul.
Harden back to the line, drops both
Harden fromt he line, knocks down two of two.
Claxton on the alley oop, feed from Harden
Harden absorbs the contact around the rim and hits the floater.
Parker with a three ball from the right side and the Nets need a timeout.
Tatum in transition, beats everyone down the floor and gets the easy lay up
Tatum gets to the line and connects on the two FTs
Fournier to the line, hits both from the stripe.
Claxton gets to the rim
Parker with a short range jumper to open the second quarter.
The buzzer beater was taken off the board at the end of the first quarter.
Smart on the buzzer beating three from the top... but they will take another look during the quarter change.
Under a minute to go in the first quarter.
Neismith in the corner on the second chance opoprtunity
Timeout from Brooklyn.
Durant with a pair of FTs.
Irving blows past Fournier and finishes the lay up.
KD to the line after a foul is called on Walker.
Fournier with a three ball. Timeout from Brooklyn.
Walker on a pull up jumper.
Durant with two straight dunks, this one right down Main Street
KD with a wide open lane to the basket, finished with the baseline dunk.
Harris gets to the bucket, and is rewarded with an easy bucket.
Tatum from downtown, and what a start for JT.
Walker with a three ball. Good sight for the Celtics.
Harden on the quick step, and the drive to the basket
Smart with a three ball on the near side.
Tatum on the drive from half court, takes Griffin off the dribble.
Tatum opens his account.
Irving knocks down a long two for the games first points.
We are underway from the Barclays Center. Game 1, Nets vs Celtics.
Tatum averaged 29 ppg in the three losses to the Nets this season.
Harden is averaging just under 11 assists a game.
The Celctics looked like a totally different team on Tuesday against the Wizards. They ended the regular season losing nine of 13
202 minutes. That's all the KD, Iriving and Harden have played together this season.
The Nets won all three regular season games against the Celtics, The last of which was back in April when Brooklyn won 109-104 at home
We are about a half hour away from tipping off the first round series between the Nets and the Celtics from the Barclays center
Hello everyone and welcome to the Barclays Center where the second seed Brooklyn Nets are set to take on the Boston Celtics in game one of the first round. AS English will keep you up to date with live coverage, scores and highlights of all the action from Brooklyn.
The Nets come into the playoffs as one of the title favorites, and finally look like they have a full squad at full strength. The Big Three of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden have been battling injury issues all year, and the trio have played just eight games together over the course of the season.
KD and Irving are both averaging 26.9 points a game, while Harden who has played in just 36 games is at 24.6 a night. The trio are healthy and you would expect fireworks from the Barclays Center tonight, but the three have barley had time to play together due to injury problems.
The Celtics come into tonights game on riding high after a blow out victory over the Washington Wizards. Jayson Tatum was the headline maker on the opening day of the Play-In tournament dropping 50 points in a 118-100 win over the Wizards.
Tatum is averaging 26.4 ppg, but will need some help from his supporting cast after second leading scorer Jaylen Brown was ruled out for the season just a week and a half ago after suffering a wrist injury. Kemba Walker was sensational in the second half against the Wizards on Tuesday, they will need more of the same from the former UCONN man averaging 19.3 a game.