Nets 114 vs. 115 Celtics summary: stats and highlights | NBA Playoffs

Kyrie heard it from the Boston fans all night long. He was harrased by the fans that used to cheer for him and wear his jersey when Irving was a Celtic. Today he had more than one interactions with the fans, including a middle finger aimed at someone in the front row. Kyrie had this to say after the game.

The final stat line for the star of the night, Jayson Tatum.

The picture of Game 1. Tatum outlasts KD and Kyrie for the opening game win.

What a way to start the most anticipated first round series in a long time, if not ever. The Boston Celtics held server in a specatular opening game over the Brooklyn Nets from TD Garden. Jayson Tatum hit the game winner as time expired to give the Celtics the 115-114 Game 1 win.

Celtics get Nets as reward for fantastic finish

The Celtics earned the two seed in the East after a 27-8 finish to their season, and their reward was getting one of the most dangerous team’s in the conference. The Brooklyn Nets barley got to have their entire squad on the court at the same time due to injuries and trades, but are coming together at the perfect time.

Boston’s defense came out of the gate on fire, forcing seven turnovers in the opening 12 minutes. Nets’ stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving both struggled from the field, while Al Horford led the Celtics with 10 first quarter points.

The Nets were lucky to be down just one going into the second quarter after struggling to hang on to the ball in a choppy start that had 18 fouls, the most in the NBA this year, in the opening quarter.

Stars start game slow

Irving came to life in the second quarter, but so did Jayson Tatum who spent most of the first 12 minutes as the set up man. The two stars went blow-for-blow and went into the halftime break with 15 points a piece as the two teams were tied at 61 a piece in a first half that saw 17 lead changes.

Tatum and the Celtics came out firing in the third quarter going on two separate 9-0 runs to take control of the lead. Kevin Durant got more involved in the game after a 2/10 start from the field. Tatum’s three pointer as the clock was winding down gave the Celtics 11 point advantage going into the final quarter.

Irving came back to life in the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run to start the fourth, and Durant hit a three pointer with eight minutes left in the game to give the Nets their first lead since late in the first half.

Tatum with the late game heroics

Boston and Brooklyn went back and forth for the final eight minutes as no team held more than a five point lead. Kyrie had a huge three ball with under a minute less to five the Nets a 114-111 lead for this 18th point in the fourth quarter.

Jaylen Brown had an easy lay in, and then the Celtics buckled down on defense to earn the last possession of the game down a point. Marcus Smart hit Tatum who spun and laid in the game winner as the buzzer sounded.

Tatum ended the game with 31 points and four other Celtics scored 20 points or more, including Brown’s 23 and Al Horford’s 20 and 15.

The series is still wide open and if the the first game is indication we are in for a wild ride in this first round series. Game 2 will tip off Wednesday night from TD Garden.

Tatum with the game winner!!! What a play to spin away with the time running out and finish the lay up right before the buzzer sounded.

Kyrie looked like he might have had the game winner with this three ball.

Brown came up huge in the fourth quarter, and no shot was bigger than this one on his night.

KD and the Nets took the lead four minutes into the fourth for the first time since late in the second half.

Like he did in the second quarter, Kyrie took over in the fouth.

Tatum giving the Celtics a double digit lead going into the fourth

Boston went on two different 9-0 runs in the third quarter to stretch the lead to 11 going into the fourth quarter.

Tatum played more of a distributing role in the first quarer, but that changed in the second quarter.

Irving went on a one man run in the second quarter to bring the Nets back into the game.

The veteran Al Horfor had 14 first half points.

Seth Curry stepped up in the first quarter with 3 threes.

KD got an early bucket but struggled though the first half.

The Celtics started the game with some great defense that led to easy offense.

One more look of many you will see over the next few days. Tatum with the winner.

What a Game 1 that was!!! Who knows if we are going to seven games but don't be surprised if this isn't the last game that goes down to the wire!

Tatum ends the game with 31 points and 8 assists.

TATUM WITH THE BUZZER BEATER!!!! It looked like they were all out of time, but Smart slid it over to Tatum who spun to the basket and laid it in as the clock hit 0.0

Brown with an easy bucket at this stage of the game.

Step back three from Irving and Kyrie is unstoppable! 18 points in the fourth quarter!!!

Horford on the follow after the Smart miss. Under a minute to go.

KD with nothing else to do, jacks it up from the baseline and gets the roll.

2:16 to go in the fouth.

Claxton at the line, misses both.

White drops a lay up and we are going back and forth from the TD Garden.

Kyrie with the pull up in the middle of the lane out of the timeout.

Smart drives to the rack and gets the lay up with the left hand from the wrong side to drop. We are tied up with 3:15 to go.

Brown keeping the Celtics in this game, hits the three ball!!! Under four to go in the fourth.

5:30 to go in the fouth after the timeout.

Bad D by the Nets, but Irving answers as he has all game. This time with a three on that near side where the fans and him have been going at it. We will see who has the last word tonight, but Kyrie is silencing the fans that used to chant his name and wear his jersey.

Brown takes advantage of the Nets slow to get back after the mised FT and gets an easy transition basketball.

Claxton follows on the Dragic miss, gets it to go and gets fouled. FT is no good.

Brown gets his defender in the air and goes rigth to the rack for an easy slam.

Kyrie getting it from the fans on the inbounds out of the timeout and he blows right past the defense and gets the lay up to drop. Largerst lead for the Nets on the night.

KD for the lead from downtown!!! The Nets are in the lead for the first time since the first half!!! They were down 15 in the second half and they lead by 2 with 7:46 to go in the fourth quarter.

Kyrie flying past Tatum for the easy lay up. 8-0 run for BKN and all the points have come from Irivng.

Kyrie with back to back three balls and I think the Nets knew if they were going to get back into this game, Kyrie was going to be the driving force behind the late charge.

Kyrie from the top of the key and he's got 24.

Tatum back at the line and the MVP chants continue. He's got 29 points after his two made FTs.

Claxton on the easy dunk after the Nets get some space from the Irving douwble team.

We are back underway in the fourth quarter. Brown gts the dunk to start things off for the Nets.

Tatum drills the three pointer and that's how the third quarter closes. Tatum has 27 points and 8 assists as the Celtics lead by 8 after two different 9-0 runs out of halftime.

Brown with the huge block on the Nets' Brown and then finishes the play off on the other end.

Kyrie knocks down a corner three with a hand in his face and the shot clock winding down. He's got 21 on the night, but just gave the finger to the fans after hitting the three. That could have consequences further down the series.

Horford with the offensive rebound. He's got 18 and 9 rebounds.

Claxton on the follow up off his own miss. BKN is back within 7 after trailing by 15.

Durant can't be stopped in this third quarter, but the Nets can't get a stop on Boston.

Tatum at the line, hitting both and he has 24.

Dragic back on the board and he's 6/7 from the field.

Tatum hits the three and he's got 22 to lead all scorers.

KD with the alley oop to Claxton off the steal.

Kyrie at the line, hits both and he's got 19 points,

KD with his third FG of the third quarter. But as he's got into the game the Nets have faded.

9-0 run for the Celtics.

Tatum gets fouled on the drive and hits both FTs. He's got 18 points and 8 assists as MVP chants start to ring out around TD Garden.

Smart with back to back threes and he's got 11 of his 18 in the third quarter.

Kyrie gets the floater to go down the lane.

Smart drops a three and that's his third of the game.

KD bounces back with a baseline J after the block.

Brown with a strong drive to the cup and then gets a big block on KD on the other end.

KD looks like he's going to try to force his way into this game. He just hit a leaner from outside the lane.

Smart with the three ball off the offensive round and the Celtics are on a 9-0 run.

Smart with the steal and the slam after no one was around for Irving's inbound. Boston is rocking again.

Tatum with a foot on the line, and the Celtics would love to see him come out like he ended the second quarter.

KD with his first field goal in a long time.

We are back in play from Boston and Horford gets the first bucket of the second half. He's got 16 points.

Who knows how Tatum dropped this over KD, but Tatum caught fire in the second half and ended the first half with 15 points.

Kyrie got going in the second quarter to end the first half with 15 points.

Tatum with the steal, Horford with the oop.

Seth Curry hit three threes in the first quarter to keep the Nets in it.

KD struggeled in the first half going just 2/10, but hit this jumper off the glass early on.

Defense turned to offense often for the Celtics who forced 7 Nets' TOs in the first quarter.

The Celtics started off well getting things going in transition early.

Kyrie had to wait for his first FG early until eary in the second quarter, but goes to half with 15 points, 7 of them from the FT line.

Tatum got hot in that second quarter. He goes into the break as the leader scorer with 15, Horford has 14 after getting 10 in the first quarter.

The first half comes to an end and there were 17 lead changes in that first half. The Nets will be happy heading to the break tied up after turning the ball over 11 times

Smart waiting for the airball from Brown, and gets an easy bucket down low.

Kyrie gets his first points in a while with a floater off the glass.

Dragic with a gliding lay up in transition! He's got 10 points and going to the line with an and one. Make that 11 points.

Claxton with a rare easy bucket under the cup for the Nets.

Brown to the line and hits both FTs.

Dragic gets the offensive rebound and the put back. Not much is coming easy for the Nets in the last few minutes.

Meanwhile Tatum breaking down the defender off the dribble and laying it up off the glass.

Durant misses another shot, and he is just 2/10 to start his night.

Brown in transition and the Celtics are on a little run as TD Garden comes back to life. Timeout Nets with  2:51 to go in the second.

Tatum drops the three ball and he's starting to heat up.

Dragic answers and he's got 6 points off the bench

Impossible fader from Tatum over KD an he's got 10 points and 7 assists.

Tatum with the runner off the galss. He's got 8 pints of the night.

Drummond just picked up his fourth foul, and the undersized Nets just took a huge blow down low as he goes to the bench.

Brown with the three ball to give the lead back to Brooklyn.

Horford with the slam off the Tatum assist. That's Tatum's seventh assist of the game.

Drummond down low, and the Nets haven't got too many baskets down low. They'll take all they can get against this big Cetlics side.

Horford with another easy bucket down low and he's got 12 points to lead the Celtics in scoring.

Kyrie back at the line after being fouled behind the arc and hits all three FTs.

Theis with a put back underneath as Boston is continuing to show their size advantage downlow.

White with a strong drive, and Irving counters with another three, his second of the second quarter.

Tatum his first fg of the game with a strong drive to the rim, and Kyire answers with his first FG with a three ball from the top of the key.

There were 18 fouls called in the first quarter, the most of any quarter in the NBA

The Nets trail by just one after a first quarter in which they turned the ball over seven times and scoring just 8 field goals. KD and Irving have just four points a piece, but all things considered they are still well in the game.

Curry to the line and hits two FTs to cut it to a one point game.

Tatum to the line again, he hits one of two and he has four points, all from the line.

White in the corner and the Celtcis take the lead back after surrendering it for a moment.

Williams with the easy dunk down the baseline

Dragic gets a baseline jumper to go after almost losing his dribble, and the Nets lead by two even though they have 7 TOs in the first quarter.

KD to the line, hits both and he's got just four points on the night.

Horford with two FTs and he's got 10 points tonight.

Claxton in tranistion off the steal and finaly it's the Nets getting points off turnovers and it's all tied up after a terrible start from the Nets.

Irving back at the line and hits both FTs. He's 4/4 from the line but doesn't have a FG yet.

Curry with a three ball and he's 3/3 from downtown with 9 points on the day.

Until Horford drops a three ball and he's got 8 points on the day.

Drummond on the lay up inside off the offensive rebound. As poorly as the Nets are playing its only a four point lead.

Williams with another steal, the sixth turnover of the Nets day, and he finishes it on the other end.

Irving at the line and he's on the board for the first time tonight.

Another steal leads to an alley oop to Horford on an assist from Tatum.

Tatum back a the FT line and hits both. He's got three points all from the line.

There is KD getting his name on the board for the first time tonight.

Five minutes into the game the Nets have more turnovers than field goals. Four TO's and 3 FGs.

Drumomnd who is not a great FT shooter gets two in a row to start his game.

A steal on one end leads to a three ball by Smart on the other end. Boston is so good at converting turnovers into points in transition.

No stars on either side have gotten into the game just yet. Tatum has a point and Irving and KD are scoreless four minutes in.

Curry with another pull up jumper from the same spot, and KD and Irving will be desperate to have one of their teammates have a big game tonight.

Great bit of defending by the Celtics on Kyrie Irving, and that gets a huge roar from the Boston crowd. Boston is one of the top defensive teams in the league.

Horford hits a three ball from the top of the key and the vet is going to be play a crucial role in tonight's game and throughout the series.

Curry gets the first bucket for the Nets o a pull up from the elbow.

Tatum goes to the line and hits one of two for the first points of the game.

The Celtics were 28-7 in their final 35 games of the regular season. They will look to keep that run of form up against a very tough first round opponent.

We are underway from Boston! This is not just a playoff atmosphere, this is a Finals type atmosphere from TD Garden.

Irving's homecoming

The former Celtic Kyrie Irving gets a frigid welcome back to Beantown in the Nets introduction. Irving is going to play a big part in this series after missing most of the season with Covid restrictions in the state of New York.

We are moments away from tip off from TD Garden!

Here is the starting five Steve Nash is going with in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs. Nash has had to change his starting five more than any coach in the league.

The Celtics starting five for Game 1 against the Brooklyn Nets from TD Garden.

Tongiht's odds

According to Bet365.com the Celtics are 4 point favorites at the TD Garden, while the Over/Under is set at 226.5.

Tatum has been in fine form

Jayson Tatum had a great start to the season, but took it to a whole new level in the final two months before the playoffs. He was in MVP form since the All-Star Break while leading the Celtics to the second seed in the East. He finished the season with 26.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3 assists on the year.

Nets MVP is KD

Kevin Durant has been the star of the show for the Brooklyn Nets all season long. He came to within 0.7 points of the scoring title, but missed a month and a half with a sprained MCL. The Nets took a turn for the worst with their seven foot sniper sidelined. KD returned and finished the season with 29.9 points 7.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists a game.

Boston is all about their business in Game 1. They have earned the second seed by being the best team in the East since the All-Star Break. Now they have to put it on display in the opening game of the series.

Here is the series lay out. Don't be surprised if this series makes it to a seventh game.

Brooklyn rolling up to the TD Garden showing off the drip.

Celtics hold the series lead

Boston has won three of the four games between these two teams this season. The Nets won the opener in Boston back in November, but since then the Celtics have won the last three including the 126-120 win at the Barclays Center on March 6th. Jayson Tatum had 54 points in that game, going 16/30 from the field.

Boston’s last game:

The Celtics won three of their final four games to end the season and head into the playoffs with the two seed in the Eastern Conference. Their last game of the regular season was a win over the second seed in the Western Conference Memphis Grizzlies. Jayson Tatum had 31 points in the win to secure the second seed in the conference and earn the chance to host the Nets in Game 1 this afternoon.

Brooklyn’s last game

Their eighth place finish in the Eastern Conference meant that Steve Nash’s side had to playin in the 7 vs. 8 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Play-In Tournament. Brooklyn built up a 22 point lead in the first quarter thanks to some brilliant shooting form Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. However the Nets struggled to close out the Cavaliers as the lead was cut to 5 points in the fourth quarter. Durant finished off the fourth with some clutch buckets to secure the 7th seed in the playoffs in the 115-108 victory.

We are live from TD Garden

Hello everyone and welcome to Boston for Game 1 of the first round matchup of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Nets come in as one of the favorites to win reach the Finals despite being the seven seed in the East. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and company had a less than average season which lead them to have to fight through the Play-In Tournament. The Celtics have been one of the best teams in the league since the turn of the new year, and used their brilliant run to surge up the standings and finish second in the conference. Their reward for a fantastic final stretch of the regular season: Playing the Nets in the first round.

Nets vs. Celtics

The most anticipated matchup of the first round of the NBA Playoffs tips off tonight from Boston as the Celtics host the Brooklyn Nets. AS English will have you covered all afternoon with live scores, stats, analysis and highlights from TD Garden.