![]() ![]() ![]() In Game 3, however, we saw the Thompson that was such a major part of the Cavaliers' playoff runs a few years back. He had two stints on the sidelines due to COVID-19 protocols, was in and out of the starting lineup at points and just didn't have the type of impact the Celtics were hoping for when they signed him in free agency. Tristan Thompson's first season with the Celtics hasn't been one to remember. Simply put, it's bad news for the Nets if Tristan Thompson is outscoring Irving. He finished with 16 points on 6-for-17 from the field and had only two assists. Only he will know if that had anything to do with his uncharacteristically poor outing, but the fact is he had his worst game of the series. Irving returning to Boston is always notable, and he was met by loud boos for the entirety of the game. Mostly that's because of Tatum, but it's also because Kyrie Irving had a rough night. Most nights it would have been enough for a win, but not this time. ![]() Whether it was Durant's mid-range jumpers, or Harden's dynamic isolation sequences, those two were getting all the shots they wanted. The Celtics, like everyone else, had no answer for either of them. James Harden and Kevin Durant were impressive in their own right, as they combined for 80 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists on 24-for-42 from the field. But he wasn't the only star who went off in this game. Tatum's 50 points are going to be the headline from this game, and for good reason. Harden and Durant combine for 80, but Irving struggles The Celtics have had a rough season, but with Tatum leading the way they still have a bright future.ΔΆ. This was just a special display from one of the game's best young players. And when Durant tried his hand late in the game, Tatum delivered the clutch jumper right in his face to seal the win. The Celtics continually manipulated the Nets' defense to get smaller defenders matched up with Tatum, and he either shot over them or drew fouls. Inside, outside, at the free throw line, he was doing it all in Game 3, and the Nets had no answer. He became the third youngest player in NBA history to put up 50 in a playoff game - just behind Michael Jordan and Jerry West - and just the sixth Celtics player to accomplish that feat. Shooting a stellar 16-for-30 from the field, Tatum poured in 50 points and added six rebounds and seven assists for good measure. He wasn't average, or good, or even really good. On Friday night, however, Tatum flipped the script and delivered in a major way. Already without Jaylen Brown, who's out for the season after undergoing wrist surgery, the Celtics really couldn't afford even average performances from Tatum, let alone the brutal showings he had to start the series. He scored 31 points in Games 1 and 2 combined, and missed most of the second half of Game 2 after getting poked in the eye by Kevin Durant. But another key factor in the Celtics' blowout losses in Brooklyn was that Jayson Tatum was basically non-existent. There were a number of reasons why the Celtics were down 2-0 coming into this game, including the fact that the Nets have three of the best scorers of this generation. There was an error processing your subscription. ![]()
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