In the first game of the first round of the playoffs, the Celtics won 115-114 at home to give them a 1-0 lead.
The Celtics were able to win today thanks to Tatum's whistle-blowing kill. In the final moments, Tatum received a pass from Smart, quickly turned around to complete a difficult layup, and killed the Nets. It was the first whistle-blowing kill of Tatum's career and the first whistle-presser in Celtics history since the 2010 Pierce Shootout Heat.
Tatum also performed well overall today, playing 44 minutes, shooting 9-of-18, including 3-of-7 from three-point range and 10-of-12 from the free throw line, with 31 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 blocks.
Jaylen Brown also did well today, playing 40 minutes, shooting 9-of-19, 1-of-4 from three-point range, 4-of-6 from the free throw line for 23 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks, plus-minus +10 team-high.
Horford also dominated the interior today, shooting 8-of-13 from the field, 2-of-2 from three-point range and scoring 20 points and 15 rebounds. Smart also made important contributions, playing 36 minutes, shooting 8-of-17, 4-of-9 from three-point range, and having 20 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals. In the third quarter, Smart scored 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting and delivered key assists in the final moments.
On the Nets side, Irving was in a brave state, playing 42 minutes, shooting 12 of 20, including 6 of 10 three-pointers, 9 of 9 free throws, and 39 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. In the final quarter, Irving shot 7 of 9, 4 of 5 from three points, and had 18 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists, helping the Nets to overtake the score, and finally hit key balls in a row, but was still killed by Tatum.snub.
Durant played a bit out of order today, shooting 9-of-24 from the field and 1-of-5 from three-point range, scoring only 23 points, making six turnovers and getting blocked three times. It took 24 shots to score 23 points, which is clearly not the performance That Durant should have. If Durant had been a little more efficient, and Irving had been so good, the Nets would have a good chance of winning.
The Nets only made it to the playoffs through the playoffs this season, did not have home advantage in the first round, and the first game was also killed, in which case their next games will not be easy to play. Especially if the defense is not good, the Nets have to win the Celtics, and it is difficult to complete the Black Seven.
The Nets may pin their hopes on Simmons, hoping he can make a comeback in Game 5 or Game 6 of the series. If Simmons can play, it can bring a lot of help defensively, but Simmons has not played for the Nets, and has not played in a season, and it is difficult to say what kind of state he is in. And Simmons' comeback in game five or six is also too late, and if the Nets are behind by a big score, Simmons' comeback will not make much sense.