This is the Brooklyn Nets team that nobody wanted to see in the first round of the playoffs.
Now the Boston Celtics have them.
The Nets opened a big lead early Tuesday and then held off a late rally by the Cleveland Cavaliers to head into the postseason with a 115-108 win. You’ll do so as No. 7 in an unusually difficult first-round matchup for the second-placed Celtics.
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, remain alive for the East’s final playoff berth. They will meet the winner of Wednesday’s game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Atlanta Hawks in a No. 8 eliminator.
Kyrie Irving put on a show and did very well on his newfound green light to play home games in Brooklyn despite his vaccination status. He scored his first 12 field goals before rattling out a fading 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter for his first miss en route to 34 points and 12 assists. He finished shooting 12 of 15 from the field while connecting on 3 of 6 3-point attempts.
Most of his shots were not easy. Far from it. Take, for example, this embattled jumper who defeated the first-half buzzer and went into halftime with a 57-43 nets lead.
Irving scored 11 of his 30 points as the Nets took a 40-20 lead in the first quarter and threatened to walk away with the game. But the Cavs stayed within striking distance before closing their deficit to 97-91 midway through the fourth quarter.
They generally made their moves when either Irving or Durant left the floor. A 7-2 run late in the third quarter when Irving was taking a breather helped spark the late rally. But Cleveland would get no closer than five points in the fourth quarter as Brooklyn’s superstar pair proved too overwhelming.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 12: Kyrie Irving. (Photo by Sarah Bull/Getty Images)
“We’re going to make this whole journey so far positive,” Irving told TNT after sharing a moment with rising Cavs star Darius Garland following last Summer. “There were ups and downs. But we stayed together. We have remained resilient. We have gone through many changes. And we’ve evolved since we came out of the All-Star break.”
The story goes on
Kyrie is fasting
Irving also spoke about his experiences playing while fasting from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan.
“It’s a journey with God,” Irving said. “I’m not alone in this. I have brothers and sisters fasting with me all over the world. We keep our prayers and meditation very sacred. When you come out of here, God is in me. God is in you, God is in me all of us. I go by faith and that is all that matters.”
While Irving carried the load, Durant added 25 points, 11 assists and three blocks. Bruce Brown added 18 points and nine rebounds while Andre Drummond added 16 points and eight rebounds. Brooklyn’s biggest concern in Tuesday’s game is the depth that could come into play in a best-of-seven series. If Irving or Durant run into foul or injury problems, the Nets are a different team. Ben Simmons’ status, meanwhile, remains a mystery. He watched Tuesday’s game in street clothes from the bench.
Garland led the Cavs with 34 points and five assists while shooting 13 of 24 from the field. Cleveland played without all-star center Jarrett Allen, who has been sidelined since March 6 with a finger injury. He wasn’t ruled out for Friday’s home playoff.