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NEW YORK – So now we know why the Celtics didn’t go out of the way to avoid the Nets in the first round, didn’t kick away the season finale (hi, Milwaukee), didn’t sweat the results of the play-in like a high schooler does the SAT. Brooklyn had star power, but no system. An explosive offense that, as it turns out, didn’t have a prayer against the NBA’s stingiest defense.
Boston took Game 3 of its first-round series against Brooklyn, grabbing a commanding 3–0 lead. The first quarter was close. Jayson Tatum got hot for the Celtics. Kyrie Irving and Bruce Brown carried the Nets. Both teams shot 50% from the floor. After a back-and-forth second quarter, Boston went into the locker room up three.
