The Brooklyn Nets are moving on to the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2014, as they defeated the Boston Celtics 123-109, taking this series in five games.
James Harden put up 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, as he became the first Net since Jason Kidd to post a triple-double in a playoff game. Kyrie Irving dropped 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Kevin Durant added 24 points.
“He just did so many things at the time in New Jersey that us young guys looked at,” Harden said. “Shout out to J. Kidd.”
Harden helped the Nets deliver their knockout punch in the fourth, as his 13 points in the quarter helped extend Brooklyn’s seven-point lead heading into the quarter to as many as 22.
Joey Buckets the Playmaker?
We all know Joe Harris is one of the best 3-point marksmen in the league. His 47.5 percent mark proves just that.
However, an underrated aspect of his game has always been his ability to drive to the rim, but he showed us a whole nother dimension of his game in this one, and that was his passing, as he finished with six assists in this one.
On several occasions where he was forced off the line, he dumped it off inside on the drive to the rim, as he found cracks in the defense while they were focused on denying him easy layup opportunities.
When you play with Harden, his playmaking prowess will wear off on you.
Kyrie Grateful to be a Net
As most people around the game of basketball know, Kyrie Irving is back home playing on the team he grew up rooting for, as he got to experience many deep playoff runs in the Meadowlands while growing up in New Jersey in the 2000s.
He continuously states his love for the Nets organization, and Tuesday night’s game was no exception.
Irving closed off this interview by saying, “We uniting the whole world with this championship run, so I hope everybody is with us. We uniting the whole world with this run. Stick with us baby.”
Irving being home and playing on his favorite childhood team is bigger than basketball. It’s great to see him in a situation where he’s genuinely happy.
