The Boston Celtics faced the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night and remain undefeated. Despite playing away from home, the Celtics achieved their fifth victory by beating the Nets 124 to 114 in a great performance by Jayson Tatum.
But both teams were absent for the clash. While Boston didn’t have Derrick White, Brooklyn didn’t have Ben Simmons. However, the Massachusetts team played with the high formation for the first time in 2023/24.
In the first quarter, Jayson Tatum scored seven of the Celtics’ first 12 points, while the Nets found Kristaps Porzingis as a wall. Up until that moment, the Latvian had blocked two of Brooklyn’s shots.
But the hosts pulled it off with a three-pointer from Dorian Finney-Smith. Shortly afterwards, the home team equalized, especially thanks to Lonnie Walker. Afterwards, the game was 34-34, when Cam Thomas made a basket, was fouled and converted a free throw.
Then, in the second quarter, Brooklyn turned around and began to take a lead. Finney-Smith, from the perimeter, made it 41 to 36.
But the Celtics reacted with an unlikely Luke Kornet and then Jayson Tatum, to make it 45 to 41 against the Nets.
Every time Boston tried to get ahead, a three-pointer came from Brooklyn. It was like that until the visitors scored eight consecutive points and the teams went to the locker room with the Celtics ahead 70-58.
Then, at halftime, all the advantage Boston had quickly disappeared. The Nets made three three-pointers in less than two minutes and the score was 72-69 for the Celtics.
With the game very balanced, the Massachusetts team tried to force mistakes from the opponent. But even so, the difference did not increase. At the end of the third quarter, the advantage remained at three points: 91 to 88.
Finally, in the fourth quarter, Boston’s reserves managed to close the gap to six points. However, the Celtics’ lead fell again after Dennis Smith’s basket.
But Luke Kornet, Jrue Holiday and Jayson Tatum expanded it to ten. The lead reached 14, but the Nets still tried one last reaction. To no avail, however. Thomas even hit a three, but Jaylen Brown, from very far away, ended Brooklyn’s chances.
