Inside The Celtics

The Top 5 Plays from Game 1 Between the Celtics and Nets

From Jayson Tatum's alley-oop to Al Horford to Tatum gliding by Nic Claxton for two points at the rim, Marcus Smart's left-handed jam, Jaylen Brown blocking Kevin Durant, and of course, Tatum's game-winning layup, here are the top five plays from Game 1 between the Celtics and Nets.

Bobby Krivitsky

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

From Jayson Tatum's alley-oop to Al Horford to Tatum gliding by Nic Claxton for two points at the rim, Marcus Smart's left-handed jam, Jaylen Brown blocking Kevin Durant, and of course, Tatum's game-winning layup, here are the top five plays from Game 1 between the Celtics and Nets.

Jayson Tatum Gets the Steal, Throws the Lob, and Al Horford Takes Care of the Rest

Jayson Tatum rips the ball from Bruce Brown, recovers it, and rewards Al Horford for running the floor, throwing him the lob.

Jayson Tatum Glides to the Cup

The screen from Horford gets Kevin Durant off of Tatum. Claxton stays home defensively and maintains his balance, but the dribbling sequence by Tatum holds him long enough that when he drives, his first step forward gives him a head start to the rim, and the three-time All-Star beats Claxton to the basket for a layup.

Marcus Smart Gets the Steal and Finishes Above the Rim

The Celtics opened the third quarter with an 11-2 run. Marcus Smart scored five of those points, including in the play above, where he faces Kyrie Irving as it gets close to a five-second violation. Irving tries to throw a diagonal bounce pass by Smart, but the Defensive Player of the Year candidate snatches the ball and throws down a left-handed jam.

Jaylen Brown Thwarts Kevin Durant

The Celtics did an excellent job making Durant work for his 23 points, playing him physically and consistently sending multiple defenders at him. Here, Jaylen Brown pursues him on the drive, and it pays off with an over-the-top rejection.

Jayson Tatum's Buzzer-Beating Game-Winning Layup

The game-winning basket is a microcosm of the Celtics' evolution offensively. Even in a pressure-packed situation such as this one, they pass up a good shot to get a great one.

It starts with Brown not forcing the issue, and as Smart dribbles by two defenders, no one would blame him for taking an open jumper as the final seconds tick down. Instead, he dishes to a cutting Tatum, who spins by Irving and lays the ball in at the buzzer to give the Celtics a Game 1 victory.

Further Reading

What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Nets in Series Opener

Ime Udoka: 'You can tell the group is ready to play'

While the Nets Anticipate Ben Simmons Playing in Round 1, Will Robert Williams Do the Same?

The Latest on When Ben Simmons Might Make His Nets Debut

Brad Stevens Emphatically Denies Interest in Lakers' Head-Coaching Job: 'I definitely would not leave the Celtics to go to the Lakers'

Ime Udoka Says He's "Happy with the Progress" Robert Williams is Making, But Reiterates it'll "probably be a full series without him"

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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