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At the start of the game, the Nets’ big three were out of form; the reason might have been the fans rallying against them or that the players found Boston’s defense. The Celtics might have felt in control during the opening minutes, and they might have even thought that they would end the game with a win.
However, everything changed in the second half when James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant looked to have completely changed their approach. By the end of the game, Irving had scored 29 points, whereas Durant had 12 rebounds and 32 points. Thanks to this performance, the Nets beat the Celtics 104 to 93.
Harden, on the other hand, finished with nine rebounds, 21 points, and eight assists. In the first half, the Nets went 0 for 11 from 3 point range but then opened the third with an 18-4 and took the Nets in the lead. The Nets had a sellout crowd of 14,391, and it was a welcome change after playing in mostly empty arenas for most of the season.
Harden said that adapting to the loud crowd required some adjustment after playing in the quiet for a long time. But his team was able to settle in by the end, giving them even more confidence to earn a victory over the Celtics.
Harden, Irving, and Durant scored 28 of the 31 points for the Nets during the second half, while Joe Harris scored a three-point in the first half and managed to hit another in the second half for the Brooklyn’s.
Unfortunately for the Celtics, they only managed 40 points in the second half and shot for just 37% of the game. But as I said, during the start of the game, the Nets looked a little rusty and weren’t able to take the ample opportunities. The Celtics seemed happy with their performance at this time, given that the Nets giants weren’t making a big difference.
The Celts would have thought they would have won the game, but things quickly changed after halftime. Harden scored three after four consecutive points by Durant. Boston made two baskets, followed by Irving 3, Durant 3, and Harden 3. This made the 18-4 scoreline into 65-57 in favor of the Nets.
The Nets have managed to win eight straight playoff games against the Celtics. It is the lowest winning percentage for the Celtics and the highest for the Nets.
Basketball is a favorite fan sport in the United States, but fans weren’t able to enjoy it to the fullest due to COVID. The players also did not appreciate the ambiance when they were playing in empty arenas without any crowd. However, since vaccinations are being administered fast in the United States, restrictions are slowly beginning to be lifted. We hope that the world can fight this virus so that everything may return to normal.
