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BOSTON — Celtics followers bought below Kyrie Irving’s pores and skin within the opening recreation of their first-round matchup with the Nets.
It was Boston’s protection that stored him – and Kevin Durant – off stability in Sport 2.
Jaylen Brown scored 22 factors, together with 10 within the fourth quarter, and the Celtics rallied from 17 factors right down to beat Brooklyn 114-107 on Wednesday night time and take a 2-0 lead of their first-round collection.
Jayson Tatum added 19 factors for Boston, which held Durant and not using a basket within the second half. Al Horford had 16 factors, Daniel Theis scored 15 and Payton Pritchard had eight of his 10 within the closing interval.
“This was like an old style. old-school playoff recreation,” Tatum mentioned. “You simply must grind it out. That is what we did… we simply simply caught with it. Happy with the fellows and the way we stored responding all recreation.”
Durant completed with 27 factors however struggled from the sphere for the second straight recreation, capturing 4 of 17. Irving had simply 10 factors on 4-of-13 capturing a day after being fined $50,000 for guiding obscene gestures and profane language at Celtics followers throughout Sport 1.
The collection shifts to Brooklyn for Sport 3 on Saturday night time.
“They’re doing a superb job attempting to chop off my scoring, restrict my shot making,” Durant mentioned. “It is on me to determine it out.”
Durant and Irving had been restricted to a mixed 1 for 17 within the second half. Bruce Brown completed with 23 factors and Seth Curry added 16.
“They took the lead and so they by no means regarded again in that fourth quarter,” Irving mentioned. “We do not actually have time to be dissatisfied, to carry our heads. That is a part of playoff basketball.”
Coach Ime Udoka mentioned the strategy to Durant has been to get into his air house as a lot as potential.
“I feel we did that,” Udoka mentioned. “We need to make him work defensively and offensively have our bodies on him the entire time and attempt to put on him down.”
The TD Backyard trustworthy peppered Irving with boos all through, starting with the pregame introductions. The quantity ratcheted up after tipoff with the addition of “Kyrie sucks! Kyrie sucks!” chants on every of Brooklyn’s first two possessions. The boos returned every time he bought his palms on the ball.
Boston trailed your complete first half however lastly caught as much as tie it at 79 on a brief jumper by Theis. The Nets had been capable of settle in and took a 90-85 edge to the ultimate interval.
The Celtics tied it up once more at 92 early within the fourth on a leaner by Jaylen Brown and took their first lead of the sport with 7:48 left on a jumper by Pritchard.
It was a part of 23-4 run that grew the Celtics’ result in 108-96. The Nets went nearly three minutes and not using a basket throughout the stretch.
“I feel our depth dropped a little bit bit within the second half. We additionally did not convert,” Nets coach Steve Nash mentioned. “We had alternatives, we did not convert.”
Bruce Brown mentioned the Celtics overwhelmed them defensively.
“We simply weren’t scoring on the different finish,” he mentioned. “I simply suppose our physicality took a step down within the second half.”
The barrage of boos followers aimed toward Irving did little to rattle Brooklyn early. The Nets jumped out to a 9-0 lead, which led to a fast Boston timeout. Bruce Brown had all 9 factors, a part of a 12-point quarter that helped put Brooklyn in entrance 33-24.
The lead elevated to 45-31 within the second, prompting one other Celtics timeout. Through the break, Marcus Sensible, who injured his left thumb minutes earlier whereas diving on the ground after a unfastened ball, might be seen grimacing as trainers attended to him on the bench.
He bought the thumb taped and remained within the recreation, scoring six straight factors.
Brooklyn settled in and bought its lead as excessive as 15 earlier than a late flurry by Boston helped it trim the deficit to 65-55 at half.
TIP-INS
Nets: Irving, who’s observing Ramadan, got here out of the sport with 3:23 left within the first quarter. He went to locker room and returned with meals, the solar having simply set in Boston. … Curry was referred to as for a flagrant foul within the first after he grabbed Tatum’s arm and knocked him to the bottom whereas breaking apart a positive fast-break basket.
Celtics: Had 9 turnovers within the first half.
SPECIAL GUEST
Former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski sat courtside to look at a matchup that featured a number of of his former gamers. Irving, Tatum and Seth Curry are all former Blue Devils. He additionally coached Durant and Irving within the 2016 Summer season Olympics in Brazil.
“That is the primary recreation he is seen my play in particular person since he left Duke,” Tatum mentioned. “Clearly, he is bought loads of time on his palms.”
MAKING PROGRESS
Nets: Ben Simmons went via some contact work with teammates on Wednesday, which Nash referred to as “one other step” within the level guard’s rehab efforts on his injured again. However Nash mentioned an ESPN report that Simmons may return to motion as early as Sport 4 was information to him.
Celtics middle Robert Williams III has began taking part in 3-on-3 play, Udoka mentioned.
Although Udoka cautioned the group nonetheless is not anticipating him recovering from his latest knee surgical procedure to return in time for this collection.
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