Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets: Jayson Tatum shines as Celtics complete clean sweep of Nets

The Celtics were under .500 at the midpoint of their season but went 31-10 from there, with Tatum emerging as the potent scorer on one of the best defensive teams.

Jayson Tatum in action against the Brooklyn Nets. (Image credits: twitter/NBA)
By Sujay Gaurav | Apr 26, 2022 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

The Boston Celtics stunned the whole world when they defeated the Brooklyn Nets 116-112 and in the process completed a 4-0 clean sweep of their playoff series on Monday.

Jayson Tatum scored 29 points, Jaylen Brown had 22 points and Marcus Smart added 20 points and 11 assists for the No. 2-seeded Celtics, who made easy work of what was thought could be a tough series. Boston will wait for the winner of the series between the Bucks and the Bulls. The defending champion Bucks hold a 3-1 lead.

After the game, Tatum said, “Couldn’t believe it at all, but I think that’s what we’re built for.” 

The team from Boston showed no fear of the Nets, who with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving didn’t have the profile of the typical low seed. Boston won on the final day of the regular season instead of losing to fall down the standings and avoid the matchup.

“It’s funny to us, because we don’t duck and dodge anybody,” Smart said. “We knew what we were going to come in here and do.”

Durant had 39 points, nine assists and seven rebounds and had his first good game of the series. But he couldn’t get the Nets the win they needed to prevent their season from becoming a monumental failure this season.

For the Nets, Seth Curry scored 23 points and Kyrie Irving had 20 points.

“A lot of stuff that may factor into why we lose, but they were just a better team,” Durant said.

The Celtics were under .500 at the midpoint of their season but went 31-10 from there, with Tatum emerging as the potent scorer on one of the NBA’s best defensive teams.

That defence limited Durant to just 19-for-52 shooting with 17 turnovers through the first three games and made it tough for him. He was only 13 of 31 from the field, 3 for 11 behind the arc.

He lost in the first round for the first time since 2010 with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the first playoff series of his career. He had won nine straight first-round series.

Read more: Nikola Jokic stars as Nuggets avoid first-round sweep

Nets couldn’t capitalise after Tatum fouled out

Tatum had 12 points in the third quarter and the Celtics opened a 90-75 lead in the closing seconds of the period. But he went to the bench with a fifth foul with 8:17 remaining and the Nets made a push that got them within three points about three minutes later.

Tatum fouled out of the game with the Celtics leading by six with 2:48 to play. Irving made a 3-pointer and Durant scored to cut it to 109-108 with 1:28 remaining. But after a basket by Brown, Durant could only make one free throw and the Celtics rushed down the floor, with Al Horford putting back Smart’s miss to make it 113-109 with 13 seconds left.