National Basketball Association

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown lead Celtics to Game 3 win over Nets

Published Apr. 23, 2022 11:36 p.m. ET

Jayson Tatum scored 39 points alongside Jaylen Brown's 23, as the Boston Celtics took a 3-0 lead over the Brooklyn Nets with a 109-103 victory Saturday night.

Again making things difficult on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving with their suffocating defense, the Celtics put themselves in position to sweep their way into the second round with a victory Monday night in Brooklyn.

A loud "Let’s Go Celtics! Let’s Go Celtics!" chant broke out in the final minutes from the many fans in green at Barclays Center.

There wasn’t much for the home fans to cheer about as the Nets face a team that just won’t let them get anything going.

Durant took only 11 shots, finishing with 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Irving was 6-for-17 and also had 16 points for the Nets, who have to decide if they will give Ben Simmons his debut Monday in an elimination game.

Boston led most of the way before the Nets cut it to three with just over a minute remaining in the third quarter. But Marcus Smart scored on a follow shot, made a jumper in transition before Brown got a steal and dunk to make it 81-72 going to the fourth.

Brown kept the Nets at bay from there, repeatedly finding a 1-on-1 matchup and driving to the basket. He set up Tatum for a 3-pointer in the corner after the Nets had gotten back within four, then made a jumper before Tatum converted a three-point play that made it 96-84 with 6:25 to play.

The Celtics got center Robert Williams back after missing nearly a month with torn cartilage in his left knee, making their defense even stronger.

Bruce Brown was the Nets player who could really solve it, scoring a career playoff-high 26 points.

Durant was only 13-for-41 (31.7%) in the two games in Boston with 12 turnovers, and the Nets’ only real hope was if he could regain his form back home.

He made a 3-ponter on his first shot attempt after going 0-for-10 in the second half in Game 2, but he could never consistently find room to shoot while committing five more turnovers.

The Celtics limited Durant to just two shots and led 30-25 after one quarter, then got seven straight points by reserve guard Payton Pritchard to open the second and push the lead to 37-25. Boston was still ahead by eight with under 1 1/2 minutes left in the half, but the Nets scored seven straight, and it was 53-50 at the break.

Game 4 is Monday in Brooklyn.

Reporting by Associated Press.