POST GAME CROOKLYN NETS - HOME

Tatum's 54 leads Celtics past Durant, Irving, Nets 126-120

ESPN BOSTON

BOSTON -- — The challenge to Jayson Tatum against a Brooklyn lineup that featured a rare appearance from both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving: "Take the alpha approach."

"Be the best guy on the court each night," Celtics coach Ime Udoka said he told Tatum before Tatum scored a season-high 54 points to lead Boston to a 126-120 victory over the uncommonly intact Nets. "He takes pride in the matchup going against high-level opponents."

Durant played in his second game since mid-January and scored 37 for the Nets, becoming the 23rd player in NBA history to reach 25,000 points. Irving joined him for just the fourth time all season, scoring 19 in his first game in three weeks and his first in Boston since he was pelted with a water bottle during the playoffs last year.

"Those matchups — when you're playing one of the better teams in the league, two of the best guys — as a competitor, those are the kinds of moments that as a kid you looked forward to," Tatum said. "When those opportunities come, you try to make the most of it."

Tatum scored a 34 points in the second half, and Jaylen Brown scored 21 for the Celtics. Brown, who was cleared to return to Boston's lineup after testing his sprained ankle pregame, beat the 24-second clock to hit a 3-pointer and give Boston a 121-115 lead with 40 seconds left.

Durant missed a jumper the next time down — complaining that he was fouled, with no luck. Tatum was fouled the next possession and, as "MVP!" chants rang out in the TD Garden, he hit one of two free throws to surpass his previous season high of 51.

He added a pair of free throws in the final seconds for the second-highest total of his career.

"It was chaos. Good chaos," said Marcus Smart, who had 14 points and nine assists. "It was a fun game and it was a fun five minutes to be a part of."

The Celtics have won five of their last six and 21 of their last 27 games.

TRIBUTES AND TAKEDOWNS

Tatum, who played one season at Duke before the Celtics drafted him No. 3 overall in 2017, said he thought about attending Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski's final home game on Saturday night, a 94-81 loss to North Carolina.

But the Celtics' 1 p.m. Sunday start made it difficult.

"I definitely wish I could have been there, for the last game. It was an incredible run, 42 years, everything he's accomplished at Cameron" Indoor Stadium, Tatum told a reporter who went to California, with Brown, who also went to Cal, at his side. "Definitely a better atmosphere than Cal."

UNHAPPY RETURNS

Irving was booed by Boston fans still irked that he opted out of his contract after professing his love for the city. On his last visit — the Celtics' first full house since the pandemic began — a fan threw a water bottle at him when he left the court following a playoff victory.

Irving stomped on the Celtics' leprechaun logo at midcourt after that game. On Sunday, former Celtics player Glen "Big Baby" Davis was sitting courtside wearing a T-shirt that read "Respect the Logo."

"I know it's going to be like that the rest of my career coming in here," Irving said. "It's like the scorned girlfriend who wants an explanation on why I left but still hoping for a text back. I'm just like, ‘It was fun while it lasted.'"

EARLY ON

The Nets scored 11 straight points midway through the third and opened their biggest lead of the game, 90-81, with just over a minute left in the quarter. But Boston scored eight in a row to cut it to one point, then took the lead on the first basket of the fourth.

The Celtics opened a 108-100 lead in the middle of the fourth. They trailed by one point with 3:29 remaining before running off 13 of the next 17 points — the first six from Tatum and the last five from Brown.

"Tonight this man to the left was unstoppable," Brown said, nodding toward Tatum. "I think that helps."

TIP-INS


Nets: Irving had missed seven straight games and did not play in the Feb. 8 game against Boston in Brooklyn because of New York City's COVID-19 vaccine requirements. ... Durant missed 21 straight games before returning Thursday night.

Celtics: Nick Stauskas, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2014 draft, signed with Boston over the weekend but did not play. He played in two games for Miami this season and 26 games for the Grand Rapids Gold of the G League. ... Signed forwards Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin to their second 10-day contracts. They each have played in one game for the Celtics and did not get off the bench on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Nets: At Charlotte on Tuesday.

Celtics: At Charlotte on Wednesday.

112288

Just got back from my hotel room with my wife.  Had a celebration diner in the North End.

The atmosphere in the Garden was electric!   Whatever IME did to mold this team to what it has become...............He better bottle it!

Great win, and this will make tomorrows drive back to Long Island that much easier!

112288

112288 wrote:Just got back from my hotel room with my wife.  Had a celebration diner in the North End.

The atmosphere in the Garden was electric!   Whatever IME did to mold this team to what it has become...............He better bottle it!

Great win, and this will make tomorrows drive back to Long Island that much easier!

112288

Wow!!! awesome glad you got to go to that game, and shame on you, should have brought your bodyguard!!

The remark by Irving is quite amusing. He should look long and hard in the mirror. Who scorned who?????? Fans were ready to welcome him back when he made the glorious statement at the start of the year. Then he went to bed with KD at the all star game and he was the one scorning. To boot, as far as I am concerned, he threw that Milwaukee series just to be sure he was not leaving a winning situation here. He is the epitome of a real a………

112288 wrote:Just got back from my hotel room with my wife.  Had a celebration diner in the North End.

The atmosphere in the Garden was electric!   Whatever IME did to mold this team to what it has become...............He better bottle it!

Great win, and this will make tomorrows drive back to Long Island that much easier!

112288

Very cool that you were there in person. I have never seen a game live in Boston, have in other locations. That is a bucket list item right now.

Tatum Tatum Tatum

Best game I ever saw from Tatum by far.

He had everything working and was Durant hunting, were plenty of times he took the challenge of stopping Durant, but Durant wouldn’t go near him on defense. Thanks Kevin and Steve N, ofcourse it’s a team game, but it’s the ultimate mano a mano game too. Steven A will be further ripping Durant tomorrow on First Take for not taking up the challenge. Never did I think this game was in doubt, these players are totally playing Ime ball, and when things get tough, they have extreme confidence in the system.

Everyone contributed, ultimately they couldn’t deal with our pace and resolve, they rested on defense, while we attacked both ends. They might be deeper, but we are younger and play harder. Love the patience we showed on Jaylen’s clinching basket, never would have made that play 2 months ago. We just moved the ball for the best shot, something we have been doing very often the last month. Great great game and effort.

Most fun I 've had in a while. I think the best description of Flat Earth's game would be pedestrian. He called Celtic fans "jilted lovers." Somebody should tell the jaxass that we prefer players who don't treat their jobs as part-time hobbies. The Nets hierarchy are nuts for letting him do that. If I was his teammate, I'd be p##sed as hell. As for our guys, I' m no longer holding my breath and waiting for the axe to fall. We're winnig second halfs and closing teams out. It took a while, but we're everybody's nightnare playoff scenario.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:The remark by Irving is quite amusing.   He should look long and hard in the mirror.  Who scorned who??????  Fans were ready to welcome him back when he made the glorious statement at the start of the year. Then he went to bed with KD at the all star game and he was the one scorning.  To boot, as far as I am concerned, he threw that Milwaukee series just to be sure he was not leaving a winning situation here. He is  the epitome of a real a………

Did Irving make a statement? Didn’t see any postgame, except Steven A ripping Durant on ESPN.

cowens/oldschool wrote:

112288 wrote:Just got back from my hotel room with my wife.  Had a celebration diner in the North End.

The atmosphere in the Garden was electric!   Whatever IME did to mold this team to what it has become...............He better bottle it!

Great win, and this will make tomorrows drive back to Long Island that much easier!

112288

Wow!!! awesome glad you got to go to that game, and shame on you, should have brought your bodyguard!!

LOL. Yes I should have had protection for my wife and I! It was like the finals in 2008 & 2011! The place was rocking. Causeway Street was was rocking with car horns and people partying!


112288

prakash wrote:

112288 wrote:Just got back from my hotel room with my wife.  Had a celebration diner in the North End.

The atmosphere in the Garden was electric!   Whatever IME did to mold this team to what it has become...............He better bottle it!

Great win, and this will make tomorrows drive back to Long Island that much easier!

112288

Very cool that you were there in person.  I have never seen a game live in Boston, have in other locations.  That is a bucket list item right now.

Prakash, you need to experience a game at TD Garden, it is magical and your breath is taken away once you walk into the arena and look up at all the championship banners, the dates on them and numbers retired. When you look at the old banners you can feel the ghost of Sam our founder of Sam's Celtic Forum standing next to you. He was there for many a championship. My wife and I was fortunate enough to attend a few games with Sam, and became close friends of him and his wife. We visited them on Cape Cod during the summers. His real name was Dick Dorr and his wife was Sally. The origin of how it became Sam's Celtic Forum was that Dick lived next to Sam Jones while he lived in Boston and Dick and his wife used to baby sit Sam's children when his wife attended games at the old garden. The families were very close and Dick and his wife Sally used to visit Sam and his wife after their retirement in the south while on their way to Florida during the winter.

A few of our members here were also very good friends with Dick = NY Celt and Cowans Old School , GYSO and a bunch of others.

Here is a link of Dick on his passing


RICHARD DORR Obituary (1937 - 2015) - Boston, MAhttps://www.legacy.com › bostonglobe › name › richar...
Results 1 - 35 of 35 — Dorr, Richard Sargent "Dick" 78, of Wellfleet, MA, retired chair of Dorr Research Corporation, died Friday, August 21, 2015 at a theatre ...

112288

How long does he last in.Brooklyn?????? I cannot believe KD is accepting this bs he slings

Add another signature game to the win column!

This was a big time win for the Celtics.  Our two stars outplayed their two stars and Jayson Tatum, in particular,  was Super Elite.  Our starting 5 all scored in double figures as we also got great play form Rob and Al and Marcus.

I did not think our bench was particularly effective on offense.  They have a very deep bench and were able to outscore our guys by 20 (34-14)  

What really shows how good the team was overall is the fact that we won QTRs 2,3 and 4.  

After our season best 9-1 run we are now on a 5-1 run.  The Celtics need to keep it going and I still think they can get better.

Next up is a game at Charlotte on Wed , then Friday at home against (damn) the Pistons again followed by another Sunday matchup,  this time vs. Dallas.  

Let's keep it rolling.

cowens/oldschool wrote:

RosalieTCeltics wrote:The remark by Irving is quite amusing.   He should look long and hard in the mirror.  Who scorned who??????  Fans were ready to welcome him back when he made the glorious statement at the start of the year. Then he went to bed with KD at the all star game and he was the one scorning.  To boot, as far as I am concerned, he threw that Milwaukee series just to be sure he was not leaving a winning situation here. He is  the epitome of a real a………

Did Irving make a statement? Didn’t see any postgame, except Steven A ripping Durant on ESPN.

Cow,

In the article (above) it said:

"I know it's going to be like that the rest of my career coming in here," Irving said. "It's like the scorned girlfriend who wants an explanation on why I left but still hoping for a text back. I'm just like, ‘It was fun while it lasted.'"

What a maroon!

All smiles here. As for the logo stomper, Rosalie what more can be expected for a maroon narcissist, he blames it on the fans.

Big baby puts on a couple pounds but his heart and humor are still in a good place.

gyso wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:

RosalieTCeltics wrote:The remark by Irving is quite amusing.   He should look long and hard in the mirror.  Who scorned who??????  Fans were ready to welcome him back when he made the glorious statement at the start of the year. Then he went to bed with KD at the all star game and he was the one scorning.  To boot, as far as I am concerned, he threw that Milwaukee series just to be sure he was not leaving a winning situation here. He is  the epitome of a real a………

Did Irving make a statement? Didn’t see any postgame, except Steven A ripping Durant on ESPN.

Cow,

In the article (above) it said:

"I know it's going to be like that the rest of my career coming in here," Irving said. "It's like the scorned girlfriend who wants an explanation on why I left but still hoping for a text back. I'm just like, ‘It was fun while it lasted.'"

What a maroon!

What a classless delusional moron, like he couldn’t have brought this on himself you know, because he’s Mr Innocent

If this isn't one of DBoss' signature games I don't know what is.


Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
yesterday
The Celtics... * Had lost 11 straight games giving up 120 in regulation * Had lost 16 straight getting outrebounded by 8+ * Were 7-28 in their last 35 allowing 47% shooting. * Were 3-20 when failing to take a 10-point lead. All four of those things happened...a loss did not.

Under 3 minutes left, up 1.  Three months ago that would have been a fold.  Not anymore, not this team.  Not anymore.




When Tatum is "on" like that he, and the Celtics, are unstoppable.  He isn't always going to be dropping those type of numbers so Ime should still be talking up ball movement and getting everybody involved.  Yesterday, though, it was sure welcome.  He had 9 points after 1, on 2-4 and 1-1 from 3, and he had another 11 for a total of 20 at the half, so I felt pretty good about him having a good game but I didn't expect what happened after that.


Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
yesterday
Jayson Tatum on having an emotional game complaining to the refs today: "It's not like we're in a library. We're in an arena with 20,000 people."


Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
yesterday
With today's performance, Jayson Tatum raised his scoring average this season a half a point to 26.5. #Celtics #Nets

Tatum has now tied Larry Legend for most 50 point games as a Celtic @ 4.  Larry's 4th 50 point game came when he was 32 years old.  Jayson Tatum had his 4th three days after his 24th birthday.




Happy 28th birthday, Marcus Smart.  Our beating heart.




I always watch to see how RWill plays against the various types of NBA centers, to see where his weaknesses are.  Yesterday he played against Andre Drummond, a big brute out of the old school, and against Claxton, a young springy type like himself.  He played well, had 5 blocks.  More importantly he played 37 minutes.  He's not as delicate as we were afraid he'd be this year.




Big Al with another big game.  He was switching onto everybody on defense.  He was defending Drummond in the post, would get switched off onto Durant and Kyrie and he played them all well.  This is the Al Horford we need to go deep into the playoffs.  His versatility makes a big difference.  That's something we have that a lot of teams don't have.  We have 2, if not 3, centers that will switch onto anybody and will go out to the arc to do it.

Yesterday was Jaylen's turn to play second fiddle but he still had an efficient 21 points on 8-17 and 3-6 from 3.  He wasn't getting as many shots as he might otherwise because Tatum was on another planet but Brown still had 5 assists and only 1 turnover.  He didn't try to dribble between 3 defenders.  He also had 3 steals.  A quiet game, didn't hear his name mentioned too much, but 21 points are what you expect from an All-Star.  He 3 at the end to up our lead to 6 was a back breaker.




Grant with a poor offensive game.  Unusual for him now.  Didn't stop his mouth, but nothing does.

In fact our bench was weak.  Ime went 9 deep and our bench only scored 14 points.  LaMarcus Aldridge, alone, scored 14 off their bench.  We might have one of the best starting 5s in the NBA but our bench isn't.  Better than it used to be, perhaps, but not that good.

We took 18 more ftas than them.  Jayson Tatum had 17 of them.  In fact, Tatum's 17 ftas are more than the entire Nets starting 5's 14ftas.  Some of our ftas were in the final minutes but overall we got 9 more points there.

21-7 fast break points, in our favor.  

They had 6 more turnovers than us and we scored 5 more points than them off of turnovers.  One could argue that's the game right there.


Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
yesterday
In addition to everything...and there was plenty of everything...the Celtics just won their 11th consecutive game against a current playoff/play-in team.


Jay King @ByJayKing
yesterday
Jaylen Brown said the Celtics' best is yet to come. On this season: "It started off looking bad, but it's a marathon, not a sprint."


Brian Robb
Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
yesterday
Jaylen Brown: "I think we still have yet to hit our peak."


https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401360779


Bob


.

Did anyone see Marcus Smart miked up? No question he’s the leader of this team, the technical advice he was giving everyone was right on. I could see him morphing into a great coach when his playing days are done.

cowens/oldschool wrote:Did anyone see Marcus Smart miked up? No question he’s the leader of this team, the technical advice he was giving everyone was right on. I could see him morphing into a great coach when his playing days are done.

Cow,

I added video of Smart being miked up in my post.


Bob


.

Last year RW played in 52 games.  Yesterday he played in his 52nd game of the season.

dboss wrote:Last year RW played in 52 games.  Yesterday he played in his 52nd game of the season.

Al is his big man coach

cowens/oldschool wrote:

dboss wrote:Last year RW played in 52 games.  Yesterday he played in his 52nd game of the season.

Al is his big man coach

I should also mention that with only 16 games remaining Rob will miss his bonus ($1.339 million for playing 69 Games) Good news for Boston is the savings they will realize on their salaries.

Well, time to alert Larry Bird.  His 60 points in one game is in jeopardy!  Maybe Kobe's!  But first things first.

Agreed.  Signature game.  No question.  And since it was against the idiots, has to be at least #2 on the list.  If we'd made our free throws, it would have been a blowout.  Can't really ask for much else.  

Those 2 guys for BKN can score and require absolutely no adjustment period.  Unfortunately, as I have said before, defense trumps scoring all the time, especially in a playoff series.  You may win one, maybe two games out-shooting/scoring your opponent, but no high-scoring team has won the playoff that I recall.  Defense always locks them up.  Good defense makes the competition look like G-Leaguer.  I would say High Schoolers but my son is still playing there!

That's why the same fate will come to PHI.  With the microscope on him in the playoffs, "No Defense" Harden-ed Head will spell the end for PHI.  Embiid is clearly an offensive presence beast but he doesn't play much defense in the most recent games I've seen him play.  But I digress.

Ktron, is it just me or is the press/media just REALLY, REALLY, REALLY reluctant to begrudgingly give the Celtics some/any dang credit?  It's like they are still hanging on for dear life to any pre-season story line like BKN vs. LAL, Embiid's monster season, Ben Simmons' whackadoodle antics, James Harden must win a championship this year or he's a total loser, King LeBron, etc?  If you hear it differently, please let me know and I'll admit I'm wrong.  

But after you go through all those "headline" scenarios on the sports news cycle, they'll maybe throw in a bone and go, "Oh, yeah, almost forgot, the Celtics are beating the crap out of everybody making the rest of the league look like G-Leaguers and have won every game this season..." then they pan to Ben Simmons in street clothes on the bench, Kyrie at his home playing XBox on one TV while watching a home game in BKN on another TV, whatever LeBron is doing, Chris Paul going into surgery, whatever the Lakers are doing/not doing, etc.  You get the picture.  Is it THAT hard in the media world to admit your on the wrong horse, jump ship and change course?!!  We know NOBODY wants Boston to ever win another game much less a playoff series or God forbid, another championship before the Lakers do...OK, Ill come back to this!

Bench was noticeably scarce.  But when you have a guy going for 54, you don't necessarily need a bench.  You go with the hot hand...and it was ON FIRE!!

Well, we get a couple days off before BOS heads down to my neck of the woods vs. CHA.  It will be Ime's job going forward just to keep these guys busting through walls and ratcheting up the defense.  I'm really more scared about the DET game than CHA, but both have teams that have either beat us or can beat us on any given day.  One game at a time.

If it's been said a thousand times over the last couple of months it can't be said enough, but this basketball is fun to watch!!  

db  

dbrown4 wrote:Well, time to alert Larry Bird.  His 60 points in one game is in jeopardy!  Maybe Kobe's!  But first things first.

Agreed.  Signature game.  No question.  And since it was against the idiots, has to be at least #2 on the list.  If we'd made our free throws, it would have been a blowout.  Can't really ask for much else.  

Those 2 guys for BKN can score and require absolutely no adjustment period.  Unfortunately, as I have said before, defense trumps scoring all the time, especially in a playoff series.  You may win one, maybe two games out-shooting/scoring your opponent, but no high-scoring team has won the playoff that I recall.  Defense always locks them up.  Good defense makes the competition look like G-Leaguer.  I would say High Schoolers but my son is still playing there!

That's why the same fate will come to PHI.  With the microscope on him in the playoffs, "No Defense" Harden-ed Head will spell the end for PHI.  Embiid is clearly an offensive presence beast but he doesn't play much defense in the most recent games I've seen him play.  But I digress.

Ktron, is it just me or is the press/media just REALLY, REALLY, REALLY reluctant to begrudgingly give the Celtics some/any dang credit?  It's like they are still hanging on for dear life to any pre-season story line like BKN vs. LAL, Embiid's monster season, Ben Simmons' whackadoodle antics, James Harden must win a championship this year or he's a total loser, King LeBron, etc?  If you hear it differently, please let me know and I'll admit I'm wrong.  

But after you go through all those "headline" scenarios on the sports news cycle, they'll maybe throw in a bone and go, "Oh, yeah, almost forgot, the Celtics are beating the crap out of everybody making the rest of the league look like G-Leaguers and have won every game this season..." then they pan to Ben Simmons in street clothes on the bench, Kyrie at his home playing XBox on one TV while watching a home game in BKN on another TV, whatever LeBron is doing, Chris Paul going into surgery, whatever the Lakers are doing/not doing, etc.  You get the picture.  Is it THAT hard in the media world to admit your on the wrong horse, jump ship and change course?!!  We know NOBODY wants Boston to ever win another game much less a playoff series or God forbid, another championship before the Lakers do...OK, Ill come back to this!

Bench was noticeably scarce.  But when you have a guy going for 54, you don't necessarily need a bench.  You go with the hot hand...and it was ON FIRE!!

Well, we get a couple days off before BOS heads down to my neck of the woods vs. CHA.  It will be Ime's job going forward just to keep these guys busting through walls and ratcheting up the defense.  I'm really more scared about the DET game than CHA, but both have teams that have either beat us or can beat us on any given day.  One game at a time.

If it's been said a thousand times over the last couple of months it can't be said enough, but this basketball is fun to watch!!  

db  

db

"Well, time to alert Larry Bird.  His 60 points in one game is in jeopardy! "

Too late for that, remember Tatum already scored 60 in a game vs the Spurs.

My concern during the game was - WHERE WAS OUR DEFENSE?????

112288

One funny thing that happened yesterday was Big Baby getting ousted from courtside seats that weren't his.  Man, that was pure Bob Uecker.




And, in case you thought reality couldn't get any stranger it appears Big Baby really is doing a comedy tour.




These are strange, strange times we live in, indeed.


Bob


.