Despite the return of Kevin Durant, and the presence of Kyrie Irving, the Nets are really on a worse momentum than the Celtics right now. This feeling was confirmed with a third victory in a row for the C’s, and even a third success, in a month, against Brooklyn. Steve Nash’s troops continue to plunge with a fourth consecutive loss.
Seven dots. Either the biggest lead taken by one of the two teams, in this case the Nets, in the first period. This is to say if these two formations from the East have long remained close to the score until the end. With Kevin Durant quickly at ease with his outside shot, against which Al Horford had great difficulty defending, the Nets took the lead after the first quarter (29-34).
Led by a Marcus Smart in the right tempo to free his partners, the Celtics came back in front in the following minutes thanks to two award-winning baskets in a row from Jayson Tatum (37-34). The two teams displaying an address around 50% behind the arc, they continued to respond to each other until the locker room (58-60). The game in the game between Kevin Durant (19 points) and Jayson Tatum (20) was already on.
A third man, much less expected, was invited at the start of the second period: Bruce Brown. Opportunistic in attack, he finished a bunch of times under the circle to respond to the outside address of the Celtics. The latter slipped to the score by conceding an 11-0 bearing the mark of LaMarcus Aldridge and especially Kevin Durant (81-90). But Jayson Tatum, still from afar, still found a way to respond (89-90).
With a fourth quarter where the intensity went up a notch, especially on the side of the Celtics’ defense, the latter escaped with the score (108-100) six minutes from the end. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Seth Curry all responded to restore Brooklyn’s lead. A short-lived reaction since they still haven’t found a solution to a raging Jayson Tatum. But the author of the “dagger” was his friend, Jaylen Brown, in the corner 40 seconds from the end (121-115).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– The fiery duel between Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant. No need to mention them in the “tops” as the two men shone. The first signed his fourth game at 50 points by scoring a lot behind the arc and on the throw line, after long attempts precisely. He also impressed with the quality of his penetrations, sometimes finishing with great authority despite the impacts. The second had his usual festival at mid-distance, but he lost a lot of balls (7) with sometimes risky passes. We remember the phases, especially in the middle of the fourth quarter, where the two men answered each other, each in turn.
– Throw difference. The Nets committed seven more fouls than their opponents. That difference directly translated into 18 more free throws for the Celtics and 11 more points scored on that line. Some of these shots were obtained after fouls on 3-point attempts by Jayson Tatum or Marcus Smart in particular.
– Public reception of Kyrie Irving. Without too much surprise, the leader of the Nets was whistled by his former public as soon as he was introduced, then with each ball taken. At the very end of the meeting, he even had the right to songs ” Kyrie sucks ! while Jayson Tatum demanded silence from the fans for a Jaylen Brown free throw.
– The Nets in the negative. For the first time since the first ten competitions, Brooklyn is back below 50% of victories. A symbolic shift for this team which has counted up to 13 more wins than losses (29-16). But Steve Nash’s troupe have only won 3 of their last 20 outings…
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Bruce Brown. Game while opportunism for the back of the Nets, still used to cut on the “pick-and-roll”. Author of a big passage in the third quarter, where he scored the majority of his points, he gave himself in defense.
✅ Al Horford et Robert Williams. Essential for providing a modicum of protection for the Celtics’ circle, they delivered a lot of behind-the-scenes work and picked up the crumbs on offense. They both did what they could to hinder Kevin Durant on some one-on-one sequences.
✅ LaMarcus Aldridge. Another clean outing for the veteran who assured the finish near the circle, or with his signature peripheral shots. One of the few substitutes, two teams combined, to shine in this match.
⛔ Goran Dragic. A tasteless exit for the Slovenian who has not yet exceeded the 10 point mark with his new team. Clumsy, he also committed five faults.
GLEN DAVIS TAKES A SEAT!
« Oh, are those your seats? “Amusing scene in the stands with Glen Davis who tried to steal the seats of spectators visibly better placed than him. The former Celtics player, member of the champion team in 2008, seemed very fit. In every sense of the term.
THE FOLLOWING
Celtics (39-27) : trip to Charlotte, Wednesday.
Nets (32-33) : trip to Charlotte, Thursday.
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