Celtics can’t contain Nets big three, fall 141-126 in Game 4

Trying to pull off a sequel to their surprising Game 3 upset, the Celtics came up short. Despite an early lead, the C’s fell to the Nets in Sunday night’s Game 4, 141-126 at TD Garden.

The Celtics got a bad blow before the game even began, with the news that Kemba Walker and Robert Williams would both be unavailable due to injury. Still, with 17,000-plus fans in the building for the first time all season, they got out to a strong start, and it felt like they had a real chance to even the series. However it was Kyrie Irving – who struggled in his much-anticipated return to Boston on Friday – that shifted the tide and opened up the door for the Nets.

Unlike in Game 3, when the Celtics trailed 19-4 early, they came out as the aggressors in Game 4. Marcus Smart knocked down a couple of three pointers, and Jayson Tatum got to the free throw line four times in the first five minutes.

Although the C’s got up by as many as nine points, they wouldn’t maintain that lead for long. Boston went cold towards the end of the quarter, and a 14-5 Nets run tied the game at 29. By the end of the first, the Celtics held a slight 34-33 lead. It was a free throw-heavy quarter, with the Nets hitting 14-of-14 from the stripe and the Celtics shooting 11-of-12.

• Share

  Brooklyn grabbed the lead on the first possession of the second quarter, and opened the frame on a 12-3 run. That was just the tip of the iceberg, as they’d go on to outscore the Celtics 40-26 in the quarter. 
  
  It was Irving who burned the Celtics the most in the second. Bouncing back from a quiet Game 3, he scored 11 points in the frame and had a game-high 23 at the half. An Evan Fournier buzzer beater had the Celtics down 73-60 at the break. 
  
  Both teams came out of the locker room more aggressive in transition. It increased the tempo, but a few sloppy turnovers cost the Celtics as the Nets went up by 20 for the first time on a Kyrie Irving putback dunk at the 7:00 mark.
  
  The Nets stretched their lead out to 27 points late in the quarter. Back-to-back threes by Tatum and Aaron Nesmith in the final minute of the third trimmed the lead slightly, but the Nets were in full control - up 112-91 - heading into the fourth. Despite the lopsided score, both teams played their starters deep into the fourth quarter. That allowed the Celtics to close the gap slightly, but the game was never really within reach.

• Share

  Tatum once again was the main source of offense for the Celtics. He followed up his 50-point performance with 40 points on 10-of-22 shooting, and was 17-of-17 from the line. 
  
  It was secondary scoring that Boston struggled with, especially without Walker. Smart and Fournier scored 16 points each, but shot a combined 9-of-27 from the field. 
  
  For Brooklyn, Kevin Durant had a game-high 42 points. Irving bounced back from his 16-point performance on Friday, picking up a double-double with 39 points and 11 rebounds. James Harden added 23 points, while piling up 18 assists. 
  
  With the win, the Nets now lead the series 3-1, with the Celtics facing elimination as the series shifts back to Brooklyn on Tuesday for Game 5. That one will tip off at 7:30 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 7:00.

Click here for 98.5 The Sports Hub’s complete coverage of the Celtics.

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.