Well, at least the game was competitive. The Celtics put forth a scrappy defensive effort in the first half, only to have their anemic offense let them down in the second half, as the mighty (annoying) Brooklyn Nets took Game 1, 104-93.
The margin for error is slim against Brooklyn, and the Celtics have no chance to beat them if Kemba Walker (15 points, 5-16 FG, team-high -21) and Evan Fournier (10 points, 3-10 FG) play, um, what’s the word I’m looking for here… oh, it’s terrible.
Instead of delving into a deeply depressing Danny-Ainge-has-to-trade-Kemba-in-the-offseason-rant, I’m going to focus on the positive: TIMELORD. Rob Williams (11 points, 9 rebounds, 9 blocks in 23 minutes) was an absolute beast. No Celtic player, not even Jayson Tatum (22 points on 6-20 FG) impacted the game like Rob.
There was a fiery exchange between Durant and Tatum in the 4th quarter which culminated in Durant driving his forearm in Tatum’s neck. Unfortunately, Tatum showed more anger with the officials for the lack of a whistle than at Durant, the guy who wielded the blow. Tatum is a mild-mannered guy, but he cannot let Durant punk him like that. Durant drew a flagrant foul a few minutes later for closing out in Tatum’s space on a jump shot, much to the chagrin of Mike Breen and Doris Burke who apparently don’t know the rules.
I enjoyed this. Very much. pic.twitter.com/upHiBAtByG
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) May 23, 2021
In the first quarter the Celtics were 6-12 on threes and Nets were 0-9.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) May 23, 2021
Speedy 😤 pic.twitter.com/qyVxhndVrl
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 23, 2021
Hand down, man down on this Jabari 3
#Celtics Rewind presented by @tmobile pic.twitter.com/UKN33wCAjf
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 23, 2021
Nice with it 👌🏾 pic.twitter.com/4Tk7eTlnfF
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 23, 2021
Robert Williams with four blocks now in just under eight minutes. pic.twitter.com/b8PnbT3nSG
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) May 23, 2021
Kevin Durant took a hard fall after Marcus Smart took a charge in front of him.
KD is still in the game. pic.twitter.com/fdQHrHFgjl
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 23, 2021
Jayson Tatum does a great job drawing the attention and finding Robert Williams here: pic.twitter.com/0W33q7ELqv
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) May 23, 2021
this has been probably the grittiest half the Celtics have played all season long, and I really hope they can continue that because I loved every minute of it #playoffs
— Tomek Kordylewski (@Timi_093) May 23, 2021
#Celtics lead #Nets 53-47 at half. Tatum 15, Smart 10, Fournier 8; Durant 16, Irving 9, Harden 8.
3pt.
BOS 9-17
BRK 1-12— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) May 23, 2021
18-4 #Nets run and the #Celtics are in real trouble
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) May 23, 2021
11-0 RUN 👍👍 pic.twitter.com/vyZ79xKn52
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) May 23, 2021
Big basket from Marcus pic.twitter.com/KUjDOH3fWz
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 23, 2021
#Celtics trail #Nets 78-73 after a rough 3Q. Tatum 19, Smart 17, Fournier 8; Durant 29, Harden 16, Irving 16.
BRK 11-19 FG, 5-12 3pt in 3Q.
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) May 23, 2021
Robert Williams puts the CLAMPS on James Harden pic.twitter.com/UmgTrllij7
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) May 23, 2021
That second jump is just absurd 😳
That's a new @celtics #NBAPlayoffs record 8 BLOCKS for Robert Williams III. pic.twitter.com/sGNwfwAC82
— NBA (@NBA) May 23, 2021
https://twitter.com/TheNBAHustle/status/1396292303543627777?s=20
#Nets beat #Celtics 104-93. BOS couldn't score in second half. Had its chances. Tatum 22, Smart 17, Walker 15, RWilliams 11 pts, 9 blks in 23 min; Fournier 10; Durant 32, Irving 29, Harden 21.
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) May 23, 2021
Lifelong Nets fans. pic.twitter.com/QWe5T5G6mu
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 23, 2021
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