Recap: Celtics Crumble in Final Quarters, Lose Game 1 to Nets 103-94
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The Celtics took on the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of their first-round series. The Celtics came out hot in the first half but crumbled in the final two quarters. Kemba Walker’s horrendous shooting night left the door open for the Nets in the fourth as they took home the 104-93 win.
Jayson Tatum (22 points) led the team in scoring acting as the team’s primary offensive option. Despite this, he only managed to shoot 6-20 from the field and 1-4 from deep. Tatum failed to record a made field goal in the entire second half. A poor third quarter killed Boston’s efficiency numbers across the board.
Walker struggled to find his rhythm throughout the game, scoring 15 points on only 5-16 shooting. Instead, Marcus Smart took over as the Celtics’ secondary scorer on the night. He dropped 17 points on relatively efficient shooting (6-13 FG, 3-8 3PT). Jabari Parker also provided a surprising spark, playing 21:31 and scoring nine points.
Though the C’s endured troubles on the offensive end, Robert Williams’ defense shined through. He ended the night with nine blocks, setting the franchise record for most in a playoff game. Williams’ dominance on that side of the floor allowed the Celtics to consistently stay within striking distance.
Brooklyn’s big three shot poorly from the field. Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Kevin Durant combined to shoot 26-58 from the field and 5-24 from deep. However, they began to turn things around in the third quarter. The Nets outscored the Celtics 31-20 in the third after being down six at the half.
Walker’s poor shooting performance continuously hindered Boston’s chances at getting back into the game. Williams helped the C’s get stop after stop but they just could not make a shot on the other end. They got sloppy with the basketball and Brooklyn began to run away with it behind two clutch buckets from Irving.
Boston sparked a minor run late in the fourth but it was too little too late. Brooklyn walked away with a closely contested win in Game 1, but a strong first half from Boston leaves hope for an entertaining series. Game 2 takes place on Tuesday, May 25 at Barclays Center with tip-off set for 7:30 PM on TNT.
