Celtics take down Nets in Game 4 to complete sweep
From preseason title favorite to first-round exit.
Jayson Tatum scored a team-high 29 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter to help the Boston Celtics sweep the Brooklyn Nets out of the first round with a 116-112 victory in Game 4 at Barclays Center on Monday.
Tatum regularly guarded Nets star Kevin Durant in the series, which head coach Ime Udoka singled out after the win.
"We've talked to him (Tatum) about being the guy every night he steps on the court, and you could tell he was extra motivated for this series and that matchup," Udoka said.
"For him, it's more of the same, what he's been doing all year," Udoka added. "It's well-chronicled that I told him to go at certain guys and not respect anybody too much. He relishes those moments."
Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart chipped in 20 points and 11 assists in the win, while Jaylen Brown added 22 points and eight rebounds. Boston shot 47.2% from the field.
Durant contributed a game-high 39 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds in a losing effort. Brooklyn struggled mightily at the free-throw line with just 17 makes on 29 attempts (58.6%). Reserve big man Nic Claxton went 1-of-11 from the charity stripe.
"It's hard to say the team underperformed," said Nets head coach Steve Nash postgame, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
The defeat puts an end to a tumultuous Nets season that began with the team as a heavy championship favorite. Brooklyn faced myriad obstacles, including Kyrie Irving's limited availability for home games because of New York's vaccine mandate.
Irving, who finished with 20 points, believes the early playoff exit will light a fire under the team going forward.
"This is added motivation for our franchise to be at the top of the league for the next few years," Irving said. "I'm just looking forward to the summer and just building with our guys here."
Irving added he doesn't "plan on going anywhere" as a free agent this offseason. He's eligible to sign a five-year extension worth $245.6 million if he declines his $36.9-million player option for the 2022-23 campaign, Spotrac's Keith Smith notes.
Brooklyn also had to cope with a multi-week injury absence from Durant and dealt James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers at the trade deadline for a package headlined by Ben Simmons, who has yet to play a game for the Nets. Sharpshooter Joe Harris also only appeared in 11 games this season because of a season-ending ankle injury.
The Celtics will face the Milwaukee Bucks or Chicago Bulls in the second round.