The Boston Celtics have defeated the Brooklyn Nets in a first-round NBA playoff sweep to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Celtics delivered a 4-0 upset with the final game ending in 116-112 over the Nets’ super team which was led by Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Going into the season, the Nets were major contenders for the championships this year, however, the dream has revealed itself to be short-lived. 2021-22 experienced a mid-season interruption due to the James Harden and Ben Simmons trade. Durant’s injury caused him to miss 21 games and after missing 11 field goals in Game 3 against the Celtics, coach Steve Nash finally admitted that his star player was suffering from fatigue.

Jayson Tatumscored 29 points before fouling out with 2:48 left in the game. Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown knocked down respective free throws and three-pointers to push Boston’s victory over Brooklyn. The Athletic reported on Smart’s postgame comments, “It’s us versus everybody. That’s the mentality that we have, and that’s the mentality that we’re going to keep.”

The loss against the Celtics marked Irving’s first-ever opening-round exit and the 30th playoff series in KD’s career where his team lost in a sweep. In regards to his loyalty to the Nets, Irving also said, “I don’t plan on going anywhere. I’ve been recognized for my greatness, but at this point I really just want to be part of a great team.” Throughout the series, Simmons faced a lot of criticism for not playing.

The Celtics face-off in the semifinals against the winner of the Milwaukee-Chicago matchup.

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