Rapid Recap is designed for the busiest of Celtics fans. Whether you can’t stay awake to read 10 paragraphs or your hangover is just too much, Rapid Recap tells the timeline of the game in only a minute or two.
The Celtics began the second half of the season with a reality check in Brooklyn. Boston held the lead a good portion of the game, and was within 2 points after three quarters. But the Nets took the fourth quarter by 10 and won going away, 121-109.
The Nets were without Kevin Durant, and James Harden was held relatively in check (22 points, 6 of 16 shooting). And yet, it didn’t matter because some guy named Kyrie Irving (sounds very familiar) buried Boston with 40 points on 15 of 23 shooting, including 5 threes. The Nets made 19 threes, including the bench shooting 10 of 16 from the arc.
The fact is, Brooklyn is a very deep, talented team, and the Celtics have been no threat to them in any of their three meetings (including preseason) so far. Doesn’t bode well for the playoffs.
Marcus Smart was back and played the last five minutes of each quarter, finishing with 19 points. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 31 points on 13 of 22 FGs, and Daniel Theis was strong with 17 points and 8 rebounds. However, Jaylen Brown was brutal (5 of 23 for 13 points) and Kemba Walker disappeared (9 points in the first 8 minutes, but finished with only 11).
The Celtics announce they’ll be starting Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Daniel Theis and Tristan Thompson. Not a surprise Marcus Smart is coming off the bench, given he’ll only be playing about 20 minutes.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) March 12, 2021
It takes Harden all of 1:36 to draw his first foul.
— Mark Murphy (@Murf56) March 12, 2021
Known defensive specialist Kemba Walker pic.twitter.com/gK0IPos7Hw
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) March 12, 2021
Picking up right where he left off#Celtics Rewind presented by @tmobile pic.twitter.com/XBKlcwLP1F
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 12, 2021
A bench lineup with Smart, Jaylen, Pritchard, Robert Williams and Grant Williams shows how much health means to the Celtics.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) March 12, 2021
Celtics lead 29-23 after one
Walker – 9 points
Thompson – 6 points
Smart – 5 points
Celtics – 14 PITP
Celtics – 9 assists on 12 basketsShamet – 9 points
Irving – 6 points
Harden – 4 points
Nets – 9-23 shooting
Nets – 5 turnovers— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 12, 2021
Second quarter, Nets caught up simply because they started to make shots (55% in the period after 39% in the first).
So Jaylen forgot how to play basketball between the all star game and now
— Corey B (@CoreyB08) March 12, 2021
Harden blows by Tatum 🤧 pic.twitter.com/Gb8r4W3qlD
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 12, 2021
8 point explosion for Kyrie dribbling through the #Celtics’ 3 wing lineup. 51-45 just before half.
— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) March 12, 2021
Celtics trail Nets 58-55 at the half
Tatum: 11pts
Walker: 9pts
Theis: 9pts, 4rebsIrving: 18pts, 4rebs
Shamet: 12pts (4-of-5 from 3)
Harden: 11pts— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) March 12, 2021
Third quarter, Cs open with 9-0 run.
Celtics starting the 2nd half pic.twitter.com/2hYIQb45Co
— Jam Packard (@JamPackard) March 12, 2021
put it right back pic.twitter.com/D9ho8FPHKl
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 12, 2021
This play was chaos.#Celtics Rewind presented by @tmobile pic.twitter.com/PC6i7Y3xmT
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 12, 2021
Kyrie hits a 3 – ANNOUNCER ECSTACY
Tatum hits a 3 – crickets
— Joe Giza (@JoeGiza) March 12, 2021
88-86 Nets after 3. This one has been a lot of fun, and should go right down to the wire. Kyrie Irving has been sensational against his old team, and has 32 points, while the Nets have shot 40% from 3. Jayson Tatum has 24 for Boston, which has gone 11-19 from the FT line.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) March 12, 2021
Fourth quarter, Timelord showed out early…
you have to see this for yourself pic.twitter.com/eNsSJoKgeV
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 12, 2021
TOMMY POINT https://t.co/wqsqbmSLmM
— Play the kids, Ime (@csl_duke) March 12, 2021
…but the game started to slip away.
12-4 start to the fourth. Same story
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) March 12, 2021
Jaylen’s playing like he really needs the All-Star break.
— Chad Finn (@GlobeChadFinn) March 12, 2021
Kemba Walker's first bucket since the first quarter there.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 12, 2021
Celtics got to within 3 points a couple of times, but the Nets always answered.
Big swing there. Theis misses a wide open 3, Kyrie comes back and drills a tightly-contested one.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) March 12, 2021
Jayson has made everything this half and to go even one possession without him touching it kills me, especially when Kyrie and Harden are involved in literally every Net action
— Ryan Bernardoni (@dangercart) March 12, 2021
🌉 Nets 121 ☘️ Celtics 109
👁 Kyrie Irving: 40 PTS, 15-23 FG, 8 REB
⭐️ Jayson Tatum: 31 PTS, 13-22 FG
🧔🏾 James Harden: 22 PTS, 10 REB, 8 AST
🔜 C’s in Houston on Sunday— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) March 12, 2021
Nets 121, Celtics 109. Final.
Good news for the Celtics is that Marcus Smart is back and looked good. Bad news is the Nets still won by 12 without one of the 3 best players in the world.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) March 12, 2021
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