Inside The Celtics

The Top 5 Plays from Thursday's Celtics-Nets Game

A breakdown of how the top five plays from Thursday's Celtics-Nets game came to be.

Bobby Krivitsky

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
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Marcus Smart's dimes, Derrick White denying T.J. Warren at the rim, and White delivering the knockout blow headline the breakdown of how the top five plays from Thursday's Celtics-Nets game came to be.

Marcus Smart Delivering Dimes

Marcus Smart's first highlight reel assist starts with Jayson Tatum swatting a Kyrie Irving three-point attempt.

At the other end, with Ben Simmons waiting for Smart below the three-point line, the latter utilizes the afforded space to build momentum and get downhill.

Smart gets Simmons to flip his hips, then rams his shoulder into Simmons. But the latter's swipe dislodges the ball, only to see Smart regain control and fling an over-the-shoulder pass to Robert Williams for the flush.

Later in the frame, Smart slings a bounce pass from beyond half-court, hitting Tatum in stride for a layup.

Jayson Tatum Dances His Way to a Basket

Irving comes off Smart to double Tatum, but the Celtics star is patient, and he spins out of it, keeping the dribble tight enough to his body that Yuta Watanabe doesn't get to it. Tatum then launches his shot early to beat a rotating Nic Claxton.

Derrick White Denies T.J. Warren at the Rim

It's not a "Kornet contest," as the seven-foot-two center jumps toward T.J. Warren, not straight up in the air.

As the latter goes by Kornet and nears the paint, he has to be thinking this is an easy basket. Maybe if the defense rotates well enough, it leads to an open shot for a teammate, like Claxton, who's at the rim, or a clean look at a three for Watanabe.

But Derrick White gets in front of him, leaps off two feet, and turns back Warren's layup.

Robert Williams on Clean Up Duty

Shooting-wise, it was an off night for Tatum, who finished with 20 points on 22 shots. But in the play above, his drive draws Claxton; Warren doesn't gain positioning on Robert Williams, and the Timelord elevates, cleaning up a miss that Tatum jokingly pretends was a pass.

Derrick White Delivers the Dagger

Warren and Royce O'Neale aren't on the same page, and both go with Smart as the latter attacks off the screen from Tatum. Boston's floor general snaps a behind-the-back bounce pass to Tatum, and he swings the ball to White for a corner three that was the knockout blow in the Celtics' 109-98 win.

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Nets: Boston's Supporting Cast at Center of C's Fifth-Straight Victory

This Insane Stat Shows Just How Dominant Celtics Have Been so Far This Season

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Pelicans: Jaylen Brown's 41-Point Performance Propels Boston Past New Orleans

The Top 5 Plays from Wednesday's Celtics-Pelicans Game

Knicks Reportedly Interested In Trading Wing, Should Celtics Consider Deal?

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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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