They are not really there for that. For the Nets, the first round of the 2021 NBA play-offs is a stepping stone to the altar. “The team has much higher expectations and goals than that”, confessed the GM, Sean Marks, before the start of the series against the Boston Celtics. Last night, Brooklyn, logically ranked among the favorites for the title, therefore assumed its rank, dominating Boston (104-93).
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But it took a bit of a fight all the same. With his phalanx of stars, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, Brooklyn has the stripe on the jacket, but that does not exempt him from doing things well, with the proper aggressiveness. And in this game, it was Brad Stevens’ Celtics who provided the best recital in the first period. Camped defensively (9 blocks for Robert Williams) and the calves of the star trio of the Nets as soon as one of them touched the ball, Boston put aggression and virtue there, leading by six lengths at the break.
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28 of the 31 points of the third quarter scored by the star trio of the Nets
Opposite, Brooklyn chewed on his offensive basketball, lacked impact at the other end of the field and his trident returned to the locker room with a pitiful 0 out of 11 accumulated behind the arc! “As soon as we focused our energy on defense, things started to turn for us”, Kevin Durant said afterwards. On notice of the post-season, coach Steve Nash obviously did not panic. Boston had already left a lot of sweat on the floor.
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And the three strong men of the Nets actually rose to the return of the locker room, galvanized also, surely, by 14,000 people in the stands and basketball tunes before. In a big breath, Brooklyn passed an 18-4 to the “Greens”. The match had just turned and the infernal trio was finally at the rendezvous.
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In a season where they met more often than looked in the eye on the field, Durant (32 points, 12 rebounds), Harden (21 pts, 9 rebounds, 8 assists) and Irving (29 pts, 6 rebounds) this time the machine was roaring, scoring 28 of the Nets’ 31 points in the third quarter! Aligned together on the scoresheet for only the ninth time this season, the three stars have yet to build a common experience, but their second half, last night, can be a solid foundation.
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“I had the impression that we had rather put on a good show. We have to do three more like that “, commented Kyrie Irving at the exit. He is also the 2016 champion with Cleveland and … former Celtic, who served as the second blade, scoring 13 points in the last seven minutes, when the Nets were only leading by three lengths and the match had not yet delivered its verdict.
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Still defeated by the Nets this season (4-0 now), Boston knows that the mission will be tough. “ You can defend very well on these guys, but behind you always have to score points ”, summed up Brad Stevens fairly accurately. Evan Fournier (10 pts, 6 rebounds in 39 minutes) and his friends will be there, fighting.
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