Monumental meeting between the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets to open his first-round series in these Playoffs 2022 of the NBA. How much narrative, what defenses and ways to circumvent them and, of course, what an ending. It could not end in anything other than high, as the cliché of show business dictates. Kyrie Irving (39) acted as the perfect villain for the TD Garden public, who received from him not only contempt but also a chain of the most varied baskets and which places him -if anyone has ever doubted it- as a player like there are few. The controversial base born in Australia had to put up with a basket from Jayson Tatum (31) arriving a few centimeters from his face on the horn and that was the one that would give the victory to the locals by the minimum, 115-114and serve to place the 1-0 in which, unless others put on overalls and hit the ball hard, it is the most interesting crossover of those that open the postseason.
The public played an important role from the beginning. Although the Garden wore white and the Nets wore white, in a clear forecast error of the pavilion’s production, it was the harsh attitude that awaited two Brooklyn players in particular that gave the spice. The boos were very loud for Bruce Brown, due to previous statements making the green team less, and Kyrie Irving, who spent two years in the franchise in a stage that can be classified as disastrous. The second was the one who put his team on his back when it was most needed, leading the rhythm in the offense while enduring the pressure. To the stands he dedicated several ugly gestures, including a comb. But that also had to be in a crash that aims to meet the highest expectations.
The defense was also the main actor in this function. Wonderful in the first part. And it did not affect too much that the flow of points was reduced, but they were very good. Those of the two teams. Because in the NBA baskets are also fiercely prevented, although there are those who insist on not seeing it. Preparation is important in the technical part for eliminations of this style, although there is always room for surprises. The Celtics kept Kevin Durant almost excellent for most of the game and for specialists like Drummond -in- and Curry -out- to produce as little as possible if the ball came to them from the stars, but they had less appearance as a dagger of Goran Dragic (14 points). The Nets relied on the loss of Robert Williams, their starting center, and were not attentive enough to Al Horford (15 rebounds) who ate his peers in and out of the zone.
Equality that raises smiles in the game after a first part that alternated the grid with the talent in parts, also, almost equal. In the second came the errors and the ways to take advantage of them. The third quarter was Celtics territory. Durant was not there, his percentages were poor and he took too many shots for the success he was having, and the locals were pupaing with a superior rhythm in the defensive lines and launching without a parachute to the fast attack. The fourth period reversed the order with a partial inning that charged Boston’s abundant advantage and transformed it into the domain of Nash’s men. The night had taken a turn and the debauchery did not allow you to face why it happened.
Crazy was the way it all ended. Durant (23) made a basket taking advantage of half a meter that Brown (23) gave him, with a cotton in each nostril after a couple of hits. Because the great ones appear even if they are bad. Horford’s response, under the rim after capturing an offensive rebound, took the game to the last minute with the score tied at 111. There Kyrie Irving appeared for the umpteenth time to score, and without reference to the stands because the booing had gone to less and his calm had gone to more, a triple from the center-left of the court that forced the Celtics to give an extra. A quick action by Brown set up by Udoka led the Nets to the attack that could seal the victory. The defense, again, won. The Celtics went for Irving like prey dogs, forcing him to go from one side of the court to the other without looking at the basket and leaving it out for a Durant who, due to time pressure, threw a three-point shot poorly. He left the ball in the hands of the locals and played the most lethal dose of improvisation. Smart (20) picked up the ball ready for his triple, made two defenders jump with him, the area was unbalanced, the pass he made reached Tatum who, turning on himself and taking advantage of the inertia of having Irving covering him when he wasn’t It should be like that, he finished with a winning layup, a game to remember.