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The Brooklyn Nets grabbed a commanding 3-1 series lead on the Boston Celtics following a 141-126 victory in the 2021 NBA playoffs on Sunday at TD Garden in Boston.
The Celtics took Game 3 thanks in large part to Jayson Tatum’s 50-point effort. The Celtics announced before Game 4 they’d be without Kemba Walker due to a bone bruise, which made it easier for the Nets to deny Tatum another monster performance.
Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving on their own were nearly enough to match the Celtics’ output, finishing with 104 points between the three.
Brooklyn shot 57.8 percent as a team and went 16-of-27 on three-pointers.
A 35-point fourth quarter from the Celtics made the final score a little closer than the true gap separating the two teams on the night.
Notable Performers
Kevin Durant, PF, Nets: 42 points (14-20 FG; 3-3 3P), five rebounds, four assists, two blocks, one steal
Kyrie Irving, PG, Nets: 39 points (11-24 FG; 6-12 3P) 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals
James Harden, SG, Nets: 23 points (8-12 FG; 2-5 3P), 17 assists, five rebounds, three blocks, two steals
Jayson Tatum, SF, Celtics: 40 points (10-22 FG; 3-7 3P), seven rebounds, five assists, two blocks, one steal
Big Three Too Much for Short-Handed Celtics
The Nets could almost take solace from the fact they only lost by six points in Game 3 despite Tatum’s offensive outburst. Brooklyn’s response Sunday was a reminder of how Boston simply doesn’t have the same volume of top-end talent, especially with the injuries across its roster.
Durant in particular poses a matchup nightmare to Celtics head coach Brad Stevens since he continually looked to attack Tristan Thompson.
Irving, meanwhile, seemed to take it upon himself to atone for a forgettable Game 3 in which he shot 6-of-17 from the floor and picked up four fouls. Having Walker healthy probably wouldn’t have helped the Celtics defend Irving too much, but they lacked a dynamic scorer at the point to match the seven-time All-Star shot for shot.
Harden had a pretty quiet double-double in a playoff game for a winning team. You get caught watching Durant and Irving and look down at the stat sheet to discover the 2017-18 MVP dished out 18 assists.
The lack of continuity between members of the Nets has been discussed before and during the playoffs. Durant, Harden and Irving logged just 202 minutes together over eight games across the regular season, per NBA.com.
Another team might be able to exploit that deeper into the postseason. For now, the Celtics simply look overmatched.
Poor Second Quarter Dooms Celtics
The Celtics led 34-33 after the first quarter. Unable to cede any ground for the remainder of the series, it looked like Boston was throwing everything it had at the Nets to potentially steal another game at home.
Then Brooklyn dropped 40 points in the fourth quarter. That basically removed any doubt about the outcome.
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
This was more or less over when the matchup was set. Brooklyn is healthy (or at least was) and has far more talent.<br><br>The Celtics did well to get the one they got and to be in a spot where they could have stolen Game 1.<br><br>There are no moves left to make that don’t involve prayer. https://t.co/hZjoRnI3q1
Tatum did his best to carry the Celtics but was fighting a losing battle. His turnaround jumper on Durant in the first quarter was one of his team’s few highlights.
Although the season isn’t yet over for Boston, it certainly feels that way. Assuming a historic comeback isn’t on the cards, the team is about to embark on a pivotal offseason since this year seems to have raised doubts about whether this roster can match up against the best of the Eastern Conference.
Tatum and Jaylen Brown is a good start when forging a championship-caliber roster. The Celtics’ present supporting cast isn’t getting them over the top, however.
What’s Next?
Game 5 will tip at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
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