Kevin Durant had a game high 26 points, and Joe Harris added 25 as the Brookyln Nets routed the Boston Celtics 130-108 in Game Two of an NBA Playoff First Round Series at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Tuesday night. The Nets take a 2-0 lead in the best of seven that now shifts to Boston.
Boston had a pair of one point leads early in the first quarter, the second on an ally-oop dunk by Tristan Thompson. That 12-11 score was the last time they led. Brooklyn outscored the C’s 29-14 the rest of the first quarter to take a 40-26 lead. The lead continued to grow in the second, and the hosts went to the locker room with a 71-47 bulge. Jayson Tatum left the court early in the third quarter after getting accidentally poked in the eye by Durant, and didn’t return to action. Boston would never get closer than 21 in the second half, and the Nets took their biggest advantage of the night when Blake Griffin dunked one home with 5:51 left in the third to make it 94-61.
Marcus Smart led the Celtics in the loss with 19 points, three rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Kemba Walker had 17 points and seven assists. Also getting into double figures was Evan Fournier with 16 points, and Thompson who ended with a double double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Durant had eight rebounds, five assists, and four blocks to go along with his point total. Harris also chipped in four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. James Harden had 20 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, while Kyrie Irving had 15 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Tatum only shot 3-12 from the field with nine points before leaving with injury having played 21 minutes. Game Three is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Friday at TD Garden in Boston.
