Nets 119 vs 125 Celtics: scores, summary, stats, highlights | NBA Playoff
The Boston Celtics pulled off a Game 3 victory in a must win situation at TD Garden. Jayson Tatum had one of the best playoff performances in Celtics history to lead his team to a 125-119 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Celtics respond in a must win game
Boston came into Game 3 knowing they needed a win after getting blown out at the Barclays Center on Wednesday night. The Celtics were winless in five games against the Nets up until tonight, but after a slow start to the game, Tatum took charge.
A poor shooting start forced Boston to have to climb back into the ball game from the start. They went down 15 in the first quarter, shooting just 2 of 11 from the field after the opening tip.
Boston counter punched immediately, ending the first quarter on a 10-0 to take a lead that they would never let go of.
Tatum with new career playoff record
Jayson Tatum went for 50 for the second time in the last four games. JT had a 19 point third quarter, and boosted Boston to a 15 point lead coming out of the halftime break. Boston’s face of the franchise set a career playoff record by dropping his fourth 50+ game of the season.
Macrus Smart has stepped up to play the Robin to Tatum’s Batman. Smart had 23 points and six assists, while Tristan Thompson bullied Brooklyn on the boards. Thompson had 13 rebounds, 9 of which on the offensive end, and brought the physicality that Boston was missing in the first two game.
Kyrie's rough return to the Garden
Kyrie Irving returned to the Garden for the second time this year, although tonight was the first time the fans could let him hear what they though of his off season departure two years ago. Irving struggled from the field as the 5,000 fans in the Boston jeered him at every touch of the ball.
While Irving had an off night from the field, James Harden had his most effective scoring game since returning from injury posting 41 points, while Kevin Durant followed closely with 39. The Big Three scored a combined 96 of Brooklyns 119 points in Game 3. They are looking more and more dangerous with every passing game, but this loss proves they will need production outside of KD, Kyrie and Harden.
TD Garden will be packed for Game 4
Game 4 is set for Sunday, and the Boston Celtics will get a big boost as restrictions in Massachusetts will loosen and the Garden will be packed with 17,000 fans. Boston could turn this series on its head with a win this weekend.
The Boston Celtics pulled off a Game 3 victory in a must win situation at TD Garden. Jayson Tatum had one of the best playoff performances in Celtics history to lead his team to a 125-119 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Celtics respond in a must win game
Boston came into Game 3 knowing they needed a win after getting blown out at the Barclays Center on Wednesday night. The Celtics were winless in five games against the Nets up until tonight, but after a slow start to the game, Tatum took charge.
A poor shooting start forced Boston to have to climb back into the ball game from the start. They went down 15 in the first quarter, shooting just 2 of 11 from the field after the opening tip.
Boston counter punched immediately, ending the first quarter on a 10-0 to take a lead that they would never let go of.
Tatum with new career playoff record
Jayson Tatum went for 50 for the second time in the last four games. JT had a 19 point third quarter, and boosted Boston to a 15 point lead coming out of the halftime break. Boston’s face of the franchise set a career playoff record by dropping his fourth 50+ game of the season.
Macrus Smart has stepped up to play the Robin to Tatum’s Batman. Smart had 23 points and six assists, while Tristan Thompson bullied Brooklyn on the boards. Thompson had 13 rebounds, 9 of which on the offensive end, and brought the physicality that Boston was missing in the first two game.
Kyrie's rough return to the Garden
Kyrie Irving returned to the Garden for the second time this year, although tonight was the first time the fans could let him hear what they though of his off season departure two years ago. Irving struggled from the field as the 5,000 fans in the Boston jeered him at every touch of the ball.
While Irving had an off night from the field, James Harden had his most effective scoring game since returning from injury posting 41 points, while Kevin Durant followed closely with 39. The Big Three scored a combined 96 of Brooklyns 119 points in Game 3. They are looking more and more dangerous with every passing game, but this loss proves they will need production outside of KD, Kyrie and Harden.
TD Garden will be packed for Game 4
Game 4 is set for Sunday, and the Boston Celtics will get a big boost as restrictions in Massachusetts will loosen and the Garden will be packed with 17,000 fans. Boston could turn this series on its head with a win this weekend.
It's all over from TD Garden. The Celtics win Game 3 and will go into Sunday at 2-1
Williams with the slam to end the game.
Durant connects on a quick trigger three. Timeout Celtics with 21 seconds to go.
Fournier at the line, hits one of two, making it a three possesion game. Timeout Nets.
Under 30 seconds to go.
Smart charged with a block, before the inbound so KD will get a FT and the ball. The play was challenged after KD was charged with an offensive foul at first. KD FT is good.
Tatum on the pull up over KD. 50 POINTS FOR JT
Smart fouls Irving sending Kyrie to the line to shoot his first free throws of the night. Both FTs good.
Under 2 to go from the Garden.
Durant fouled on the drive, gets two free throws to drop. He's got 35
Tatum draws the foul, going to the line to shoot FTs 14 and 15, hits both, 48 points.
Brown to the line, hits both. 2:30 to go in the fourth.
Harden hits from downtown again, hits seventh three of the night.
Smart on the turn around in the lane off the dribble.
KD at the line, hits one of two.
Walker in the lane off the dribble. Timeout Nets.
Under 4 minutes to go.
Fournier on the spot up three from the near side.
KD at the line out of the timeout, hits one of two.
5 minutes to go in the fourth.
KD at the line, hits both. KD has 31 on the night.
Tatum banks the runner home, 46 for JT
Harden fouled, goes to the stripe and hits both.
Tatum at the line, hits both. He's got 44. Under 6 to go.
Irving with a corner three, he's got a couple long balls in the last minute.
Tatum on the turnaround from the top of they key. 42 for JT
Irving from the top of the key, Nets within 8. Timeout Boston.
8 to go in the fourth quarter.
Harden with his patented step three.
Walker gets the mid range jumper to go
Harden with a triple, and the foul, FT is good
Thompson on the follow up agains, 9 offensive rebounds and 19 points on the night.
Thompson down low again, he has 17.
Harden hits the three ball.
Fournier drops the step back juper.
We are going to the fourth quarter, JT has 40 points.
Irving into the paint hits the jumer in traffic.
Harden hits a three.
Tatum from the baseline this time.
Tatum hits the three over Claxton. JT has 38
Harden to the line, hits two.
Tatum with a nearly impossible shot, got swiped on his way up on the long jumper, broke through the contact, sank the shot and the FT.
Tatum hits a tech FT after a defenisve three second, and then Fournier drops a corner three. Largest lead of the night for Boston.
Timeout in Boston wtih 2:40 to go in the third.
Smart drains a three ball.
KD on the runner from outside the lane. Under 4 to go in the 3rd.
Tatum will go back to the line, Shamet whistled on the shooting foul. JT hits both from the line, he's got 31.
Smart answers back with a three, and one! Four point play is completed.
KD fouled by Langford on the three, knocking down two of three.
Smart hits the three ball after the pump fake on the perimeter.
Irving off the dribble, just six points for Kyrie.
KD spots up for three, after the offensive rebound. Timeout Celtics with 6:30 to go in the third quarter.
Harden to the line, gets both to go.
Harden awarden the deuce, after a goaltending call on Thompson.
Baseline turnaround for Tatum, he's got 29 already
Durant on the dunk after the Harden assist. Harden has 9 assists.
Tatum back to the line after a foul on the three, hits just one of three.
Kyrie with the put back after the KD miss. He has just two FGs tonight.
Tatum to the line, hit both.
KD spots up from three point range. He's over 20
Thompson to the line gets one of two to drop.
Thompson finishes with a dunk off the steal.
Tatum starts the third quarter with a three ponter
The Celtics went 2-11 from the field to start the game.
Thompson has 7 offensive rebounds already.
The Celtics have been the more physical team, leading the rebound battle 28-19
Jayson Tatum leads all scorers wtih 21 points though two quarter. KD is the Nets top scorer with 18
Halftime from Boston, the Celtics go into the break with a four point lead after trailing by 15 early in the first quarter.
Harden fouled on the three pointer, gets two of three to go.
Under a minute to go in the first half.
Durant with a baseline jumper.
Thompson on the follow up, he's got 7 offensive rebounds already.
Griffin to the line out of the timeout, hits both.
Timeout in Boston with under 2 minutes to go
KD stops the Celtics run with a short J.
Strong drive form Tatum who finishes off the glass.
Fournier steps back from midrange.
Griffin in the paint, gets his first points of the night.
Tatum from downtown, he's got 19 first half points
Grant with a short range jumper.
KD with the 17 foot pull up
Fournier drops a deep ball
Durant get the turn around jumper to go..
Timeout Celtics with just over 6 minutes to go in the 1st half.
Irving in the lane, gets the roll on the short jumper for his first points of the night.
Harden back on the board for the first time in the second quarter.
Fournier gets the roll off the fader in the lane.
Harris just picked up an offensive foul, that's his third already.
Thompson up and under, he's got 10 points and 7 rebounds already.
Harris puts it on the deck, and gets the finger roll.
Langford nets a three ball from the near corner.
Johnson responds with a three
Tatum hits the step back three in the corner.
Thompson hitting the offensive boards, gets the put back to go.
Claxton hanging in the air to get the alley oop form Harden
Thompson to the line to start the second quarter. Hits two of two from the line
What a bounce back from the Boston, they were down as many as 15 early in the first quarter.
Smart gives the Celtics the lead to end the first quarter. 10-0 run for the Celtics going into the second.
Tatum pulls up from long range.
Thomposon from close range.
Tatum on the fader, he's got double digits already.
Claxton gets the jump hook in the paint.
Langford with a long ball and Steve Nash wants a timeout.
Johnson cuts through the paint and gets the floater.
Smart spots up from the top of the key, for the first Celtic three pointer.
Durant hits the mid range jumper from the baseline.
Durant with a jumper over Tatum
Smart takes the contact and gets the bucket, hits the FT for the three point play.
Durant off the dribble hits a midrange jumper.
Tatum hits a pair of FTs
Harden sinks another three. He already has 13 points
Smart speeds to the basket gets the lay up to go.
Tatum back to the rack on a wild shot
Tatum on the block, then goes coast to coast for a lay up
Tatum with long two on the step back.
Harris in the near corner, the Nets are 6 of 7 from the field. Boston are just 2 of 10. Timeout Boston
Harden on the step back three, he's got 10 off the bat.
Harden to the line, knocks down two of two.
Thompson in the post finishes from underneath.
Harden getting to the bucket again, he's got a quick 5.
KD sinks a three pointer, and the Nets are looking good from long range.
Harris with a long ball, something the Celtics don't want to see to often tonight.
Harden gets his night going with a drive and foul, hits the and 1.
Walker gets to the iron and finishes off the glass for the game's first points.
Cheers ring out for Kyrrie's first miss at the Garden
We are underway in Game 3 from TD Garden.
Both teams are being announced here at TD Garden, we are just moments away from the start of Game 3.
Just under 5,000 fans will be alllowed in at the TD Garden.
A reminder, just three teams have ever comeback form a 3-0 deficit. The last team to do it was the Dallas Mavericks who shocked Portland in the 2003 Western Conference Finals
The last time the Celtics went down 3-0 was in 2015, when they were swept by the Cavaliers.
TD Garden will have a limited capacity, but be sure that those in attendance will be gving Kyrie plenty of Boston tough love
Kyrie is back at TD Garden for the second time since leaving Boston after the 2018/19 season
The first of a three game slate tonight is underway, with the Hawks and the Knicks in a tight battle through a quarter and a half.
Just over 30 minutes until tip off from TD Garden.
Irving returns to a place he used to call home. Kyrie spent two seasons in Boston, averaging 24 points and 6 assists as a Celtic
The Nets are a 7.5 point favorite coming into Game 3 according to Bet365.com, the Over/Under is set at 227
Harden has yet to explode with a big scoring game since coming back from injury, could tonight be the night?
Kemba Walker was listed as questionable with knee bone bruise, but Walker is expected to play tonight.
Boston can not afford to let the Nets get off to a hot start in the first quarter. The first six minutes of the opening quarter will be essential for the Celtics.
Brooklyn's Jeff Green has been ruled out for the rest of the first round series after suffering a foot injury in Game 2.
The Brooklyn Nets come into TD Garden wtih a 2-0 lead, and have yet to lose a game in any of the 5 matchups with the Celtics this season.
Hello everyone and welcome to Boston for Game 3 in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
Hello everyone and welcome to TD Garden, where the Boston Celtics look to stay alive in the series after losing the first two games to the Brooklyn Nets in New York. AS English will be keeping you covered with live updates, scores, stats and highlights of Game 3.
Celtics searching for first win on season vs Nets
The Nets are undefeated in all five games against the Celtics this season, Brooklyn struggled through the first half of Game 1, but it was the D and the Big Three that made the difference in the series opener. In just their ninth game together, James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant scored 82 of the Nets 104 points in their 11 point Game 1 victory.
Big Three and Harris bring Nets to Boston leading 2-0
Joey Harris made headlines, leading the Nets from the early going in Game 2. The leagues most accurate three point shooter dropped seven 3-pointers as the Celtics blew out Boston and cruised to 2-0 series lead.
Jayson Tatum and the Celtics will have to find the key to unlock the the Brooklyn defense that has kept them quiet over the first couple games.
Tatum kept quiet, so far..
The Celtics need their top scorer to rise to the occasion in the biggest game of the season.Tatum scored 50 points in the Play-In game against the Wizards, but scored just nine points in the last game at the Barclays Center.
He won’t win the game all on his own. With their second leading scorer, Jaylen Brown, sidelined for the rest of the season Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart need to step into the spotlight and deliver if the Celtics are going to extend this series.
Durant paving the way for the Big Three
Kevin Durant paced the Nets in the opening two games, averaging 29 a night and The Big Three are combining for over 70 points per game.
This will be just the 11th game that KD, Kyrie and Harden will play together. It seems like with every minute of every game they are getting more comfortable, and growing more dangerous for opposing defenses. If the role players step up like Joey Harris did in Game 2, Brooklyn will be on the express train to the title series.
Boston will have to throw everything they have at the Nets tonight to avoid going down 3-0 to the Big Three. In the history of the NBA there have only been three 3-0 comebacks, and you wouldn’t bet against Steve Nash’s Nets to give up that commanding of a lead in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.