Playoffs NBA [VF] – Incredible: the Nets swept by the Celtics!

Stronger and more ruthless, the Celtics swept the Nets with a fourth success in a row (112-116) on Monday to advance to the Eastern Conference semi-finals of the NBA play-offs. Few would have bet on the “sweep” suffered by Brooklyn, stemming from such a show of strength from Boston. However, there was no photo in this series between a solid, united, over-motivated team on the one hand, and on the other, a duo of stars Kevin Durant / Kyrie Irving unable to assume everything together, because individually muzzled. .

Durant, suffocated in the first three matches, reacted in vain as a champion – that he was in 2017 and 2018 with Golden State -, since he scored 39 points (9 assists), his last two having brought the Nets closer to one unit two minutes from time (109-108). But opposite, there was a collective that had the answer to everything, like the old grumbler Al Horford (13 pts), author of the tap-bounce that pushed the New Yorkers back 13.7 seconds from the end. (113-109) and Marcus Smart (20 pts, 11 assists), who provided the final free throws.

Claxton pire that Shaq

Boston, which has always led, did not panic when Tatum (29 pts, 9/16 on shots, 5 assists) had to go out for six fouls, in full money-time. Because Jaylen Brown was there to take over (22 pts, 8 rebounds). On the Brooklyn side, Kyrie Irving did not weigh (20 pts) and Nick Claxton, yet solid in the racket (13 pts, 3 blocks) broke a singular record, missing his first ten free throws (1/11 in the end) , worse than Shaquille O’Neal one night in 2006 (0/8). The C’s are now waiting to know who their opponent will be. It will be defending champion Milwaukee if it beats Chicago on Wednesday (3-1).