Jayson Tatum hit a layup just before the final buzzer sounded on Sunday afternoon, lifting the Boston Celtics to a 115-114 win over the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference First Round Playoff series at TD Garden in Boston.
In what is one of the most anticipated first round series in years, the Celtics and Nets certainly gave the sellout crowd in Boston their moneys worth. Both teams had a lead in a very closely contested first half, with Boston holding the biggest of those at seven in the first quarter. The game was tied 61-61 at the halftime break. The hosts took over some in the third, going up by as many as 15 at 84-69 on a pair of Tatum free throws halfway through the period. The C’s led 96-85 headed to the final 12 minutes. Old friend Kyrie Irving, who was hearing it from the capacity crowd throughout, took over in the fourth for Brooklyn nearly willing them to a big road win. He scored 16 of the Nets 29, as they went on a 15-2 run taking a 100-98 lead on a Kevin Durant three-pointer with 8:04 to play. The guests went up by as many as five at 107-102, before Boston scored five straight points to even it on a Jaylen Brown three-pointer and a basket from Marcus Smart. The teams traded a pair of buckets each over the next 2:12 to keep it tied 111-111, before Irving drilled a three-pointer over Smart with 45.9 seconds remaining. The Celtics came right back with a quick driving basket from Brown seven seconds later to cut it to 114-113, and then forced Durant into a long off balance attempt from behind the arc as the shot clock was running out that was no good and the rebound was grabbed by Al Horford. Boston decided not to call a timeout and got the ball to Brown near the right block. Brown dribbled near the foul line and found Smart on the left wing with four seconds left, who faked a three-pointer, and found Tatum who spun around Irving down the right side of the lane to lay it in just before the horn to end it. It is the first time in Celtics franchise history that a player had made a buzzer beating winning shot in a home playoff game.
Tatum led the way in the win with 31 points, four rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and two blocks. Brown finished with 23 points, five rebounds, three assists, four steals, and two blocks. Smart and Horford also got into double figures with 20 points a piece. Smart added seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals while Horford had a double double by grabbing 15 rebounds. Irving had a game high 39 points to go along with five rebounds, six assists, and four steals in the loss for Brooklyn. Durant had 23 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Goran Dragic and Nic Claxton chipped in 14 and 13 points respectively. Game two in Boston is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m.
