The Nets were not only on the floor on Friday night, but they did it for a long time as well as in any NBA team.
Despite playing just seven of 60 matches this season, with the Big 3 in the lineup together, the Nets became the first team in the Eastern Conference after a 40–10 win this season with a 109–104 win over the Celtics at the Barclays Center.
Joe Harris (20 points) and Jeff Green (19) led the five nets in double figures, while Bruce Brown contributed 15 points and Blake Griffin added 13 points off the bench.
Kyrie Irving finished the night of the shooting (4-for-19), but finished with 15 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds and four steals as the Nets (40-20) topped the East by half a game. Occupied. 76 people despite injuries sustained by James Harden (hamstring) and Kevin Durant (thigh).
Euroleague imported the 27th player, Michael James, who signed a 10-day contract on Friday after appearing in a game for the injured Nets this season, scoring eight points in 21 minutes on his debut for the team.
Jason Tatum scored a game-high 38 points and Peyton Pritchard scored 22 for the Celtics (32-28), who were also playing without their two top three scorers, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker.
The Nets had a 17-over start in the fourth quarter, but 3-pointers by Tatum and Pritchard completed the Boston Surge 11–0, ending a 98–95 lead with 3:31 remaining. However, Harris’ fourth was beyond the arc and a transition dunk by Green barely re-filled the lead to eight after a minute.
Durant was questionably upgraded to play on Friday, but missed his third straight game with a left thigh contusion. There is still a possibility that the 11-time All-Star could return against the Suns in a home game on Sunday. The Nets were also without James Harden, who has not played since April 5 due to a hamstring issue.
Durant’s latest injury stems from a knee in the leg in absence from what Trevor Ariza made his fifth appearance in last Sunday’s game against the Heat, after missing 23 consecutive matches with a hamstring stretch, in barely four minutes.
After signing with the Nets as a free agent, Durant sat out of the previous season following Akilis’ surgery in June 2019 while he was with the Warriors. He missed several games earlier this year due to the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocol.
“I think he’s close, but I don’t think he’s there,” Nets coach Steve Nash said before Friday’s game. “So I think we’ll see [Saturday] And Sunday, if it is likely. “
The Celtics were also not exactly 100 percent healthy, with Brown missing the shoulder gesture for the second straight game, while Walker was out for a knee keeper.
“The Celtics are clearly an experienced team. Nash has already said that they have the playoffs and continuity.” Jason Tatum is an incredible player who makes it very difficult on any defense. “
Tatum gave up five 3-pointers and scored 25 points to keep the Celtics within nine points.
The Nets shot just 7-for-21 in the first quarter and trailed 25–21, but Brown scored 12–3 to score seven of nine points in the second half.
James buried his first from long-range midway through the quarters, and a pair of docks by Griffin – from a lobe pass from Irving – and Landry Shedd in transition saw the Nets gain just three minutes to play 14. Pushed with.
Tatum pumped in eight more points before the end of the period, with 3.4 seconds left to enter a 60-51 game with three from the left corner.
The Celtics drew within six on Marcus Smart’s 3-pointer in the third, but Harris scored eight points in the 10–0 run, including a pair from long on as the Nets opened up 88–73 in the final quarter. Gained the edge.
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