BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum made a layup on the buzzer on a go from Marcus Sensible to offer the Boston Celtics a dramatic 115-114 victory over the Brooklyn Nets within the Recreation 1 of their first-round playoff sequence on Sunday.
Tatum scored 16 of his 31 factors within the second half, the ultimate two after a poised Boston possession in the frantic final seconds. Jaylen Brown dribbled towards the center and swung the ball out to Sensible, who fired it right into a chopping Tatum, who spun round and dropped in his layup simply earlier than time expired.
Brown added 23 factors. Al Horford had 20 factors and 15 rebounds, and Sensible completed with 20 factors, together with 4 3-pointers.
Kyrie Irving completed with 39 factors, together with 18 within the fourth quarter. However the Celtics pressured the ball out of his palms the final time Brooklyn had it and Kevin Durant missed a jumper with a one-point lead that arrange the Celtics’ remaining possession.
Durant added 23 factors however shot simply 9 of 24.
Boston charged out of halftime with a 23-8 run to open a 82-69 lead, sparked by Sensible’s dead-eye capturing from past the arc.
The Celtics additionally appeared to tweak their strategy to guarding Durant within the half court docket, fronting him and sending assist excessive to restrict his driving means.
Durant and Irving nonetheless discovered methods to attain at occasions, however they needed to exert elevated power to get off their makes an attempt.
With Boston main early within the fourth, Irving acquired Brooklyn again within the combine with two straight 3-pointers and a layup to trim Boston’s benefit to 98-97 with simply over 9 minutes left. Then, following an empty journey by Boston that noticed Brown and Horford fail to transform from in shut, Durant calmly drained a 3 on the opposite finish to place the Nets in entrance.
Brooklyn had elevated its result in 107-102 when Durant was lengthy with a jumper. Brown discovered house on the Celtics’ subsequent possession and linked on a 3 from the wing. The Nets turned it again over on a offensive foul on Durant. Sensible slid beneath Irving on Boston’s guaranteeing journey and tied it with a layup.
The rating was tied once more at 109 with lower than 2 minutes left when Durant acquired a pleasant bounce on a jumper to place Brooklyn again up. Horford’s observe shot tied it once more. However Irving was good from deep on the subsequent time down the ground give the Nets a 114-111 cushion.
Brown tied it popping out of a timeout with 38 seconds left.
In his newest journey to face his former Boston teammates, Irving obtained the loudest jeers throughout pregame introductions and was booed every time he touched the ball the remainder of the way in which.
Followers additionally showered lots disdain on Bruce Brown, who made headlines final week after suggesting Celtics massive males Horford and Daniel Theis could be simple to assault inside with out injured middle Robert Williams III out there to defend the rim.
Horford performed the opening 12 minutes as if on a one-man mission to obliterate that notion.
Boston entered with the league’s finest defensive ranking for the reason that All-Star break and utilized early stress on Durant. He tried to determine himself within the submit within the first quarter, however the Celtics blitzed him with bottom assist defenders, stripping him thrice.
Brooklyn completed with seven turnovers for the quarter, nevertheless it translated into solely a 29-28 lead for Boston.
Horford was lively all through, going 3 for 4 from the sphere with 10 factors, two rebounds and a steal.
Boston needed to modify early within the second quarter after Theis picked up his third foul. However issues evened out when Drummond was whistled for his fourth foul with 4:58 left within the interval.
The Celtics instantly went on a 9-2 run earlier than the Nets clawed again to tie the sport up at 61 on the half.
Nets: Brooklyn completed with 16 turnovers. … Durant and Irving shot a mixed 1 for 8 from the sphere within the first quarter.
Celtics: Outscored the Nets 56-32in the paint. … Williams cheered from the bench in road garments. … New England Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft and his son, Jonathan Kraft, sat courtside.
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