Ruthless, despite a vain start from Kevin Durant, the Celtics sharply eliminated the Nets from the NBA play-offs on Monday, winning a fourth success in a row (116-112), to advance to the conference semi-finals.
Boston sweeping Brooklyn, with such a show of force, few would have bet on it, except surely their most ardent fans.
However, there was no photo in this series, which boiled down to the opposition between a solid, united, over-motivated team on one side and on the other, a duo of stars incapable of playing and of everything. assume together, because individually muzzled.
Durant, stifled in the first three games by the tough Boston defense, reacted like a champion – which he was in 2017 and 2018 with Golden State –, since he scored 39 points (9 assists, 7 rebounds), his last two having brought the Nets closer to one unit in the last two minutes (109-108).
Celtics expect Antetokunmpo
But opposite, there was a collective that had the answer to everything, like the old grumpy Al Horford (13 pts), author of the tap-bounce who pushed back the New Yorkers for the umpteenth time at 13.7 seconds of the term (113-109) and Marcus Smart (20 pts, 11 assists), just named best defender in the league, who ensured the final free throws.
Boston, which had never been led in the match, counting up to 15 units ahead, did not panic when Jayson Tatum, very effective until then (29 pts, 9/16 on shots, 5 assists ), was released for six faults, in the heart of a money-time that had become unbreathable.
Because Jaylen Brown was there to take over (22 pts, 8 rebounds).
The C's are now waiting to find out who their opponent will be, although it seems likely that it will be defending champion Milwaukee and its star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who only needs one victory to dismiss Chicago (3-1).
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