Lyou Celtics defeated this Sunday in Boston to the Nets (126-120) in a very tight match in which Jayson Tatum dazzled with 54 points and those from Brooklyn relied mainly on Kevin Durantwhose 37 points were not enough to avoid defeat.
The Celtics (39-27) thus establish themselves in the East after winning 14 of their last 16 gameswhile those of Brooklyn (32-33) are still in the descending line after chaining four defeats and after an unfortunate February in which they lost 10 of their 13 games.
This Sunday was the third consecutive victory of the Celtics against the Netsthe previous two by beating but this much more disputed.
Just one day after LeBron James stunned the NBA with 56 points for the Los Angeles Lakers, Tatum took over with a sensational performance of 54 points (8 of 15 in triples), 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
Jaylen Brown (21 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists) was Tatum’s best companion in a Celtics that made 17 of 36 triples and in which the Dominican Al Horford got 13 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
For the Nets, Durant, who returned on Thursday after an injury that left him a month and a half out of competition, was the best with 37 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists in both Kyrie Irving contributed 19 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists.
TMIDA AWAY ADVANTAGE
The first quarter went like the rest of the game: Boston showed that they are playing better as a team, with Jayson Tatum opening game and infecting his teammates, while the Nets seemed to put all the weight on Kevin Durant.
The figure of the Nets had already made 2 triples and added 10 points in the middle of the first quarter (21-21 with 5.20 left).
Marcus Smartwho was celebrating his 28th birthday today, gave the Celtics a short-lived lead, but Slovenian Goran Dragic, coming off the bench, helped the Nets end up winning the first quarter (29-34).
The Celtics reacted forcefully with two consecutive triples by Tatum (37-34 with 10:40 to go).
but between Patty Mills and Kevin Durantthe Nets regained control of the game from the perimeter (42-46 with 7.33 for the break).
Al Horford prevented the Nets from getting away on the scoreboard in a stretch filled with 3-pointers, dunks and spectacular steals.
Tatum arrived with 20 points at halftime and Durant with 19, but it was LaMarcus Aldridge who gave the Nets a timid difference (58-60) after a first half in which the visitors stood out in the triple (8 of 14).
DECISIVE TATUM
Tatum came out after the break and hit 2 triples in a row for the Celtics to manage the match again (74-70 with 7.36 to play).
However, Durant returned to the game and he put out his chest by chaining 7 points with which the Nets reached their greatest distance of the afternoon (81-90 with 1.19 to go).
Facing Durant in the TD Garden se alz Tatumwho hit his seventh three-pointer to date (16 points in the penultimate quarter alone) and left the board at a tight 89-90 at the end of the third quarter.
The match grew even more emotional in a final quarter in which Celtics y Nets they alternated in front of the scoreboard.
An impressive Tatum (he ended up scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter) cheered the dedicated Celtics fans (108-100 with 6.26 to play), but two baskets in a row by Durant plus one from Irving brought the score back closer (110-106 with 5.03 on the clock).
The great moment for the Brooklynites came with a three-pointer Seth Curry that put them ahead with 3.29 to go (110-111), but Tatum once again took it upon himself to break the illusions of the Nets.
With impossible penetrations and also hitting from the shot, Tatum gave the victory to the Celtics, who finally managed to quell D’s rebellion.Urant and the Nets with a triple by Brown in the last minute.
