Heroic, Nolan Traore and the Nets rattled the Celtics

After in scoring 54 against the KnicksThe Nets responded perfectly by pushing the Celtics to the limit. With Jaylen Brown in a triple-double, Boston won 130-126 after two overtimes!

Boston got off to an ideal 8-0 start, taking advantage of a mobile attack and the continued good form of Sam Hauser, already adept at first shots. But progress does not last. Brooklyn, sloppy on its first possession, gradually found its rhythm and responded with a 14–5 run to take the lead. The Nets in particular rely on the energy of their young backcourt, while Boston tries to target Jaylen Brown in isolation. Despite his limited success (2/7), Brown finished the first quarter as the Celtics’ leading scorer with seven points. Luka Garza scores several baskets from the bench and the two teams separate after twelve minutes (28-28).

The second quarter is clearly more favorable for Brooklyn. The Celtics run up turnovers, play poorly in transition and leave too much room in the fast game. Nolan Traore imposes his rhythm, attacks the circle and gives aggression to the Nets attack. Michael Porter Jr., who is looking for redemption after a difficult performance against New York, is also getting stronger. More accurate in his choices, he scores, finds Claxton on a pick-and-roll and allows Brooklyn to increase the gap to eleven points. Boston, however, was able to limit the damage at the end of the half, especially thanks to Hauser and Brown, to return to the locker room with a six-point deficit (55-49).

After returning from the dressing room, the script remains tight. Boston is holding on mainly thanks to its outside address, Peyton Pritchard is taking on more and more responsibilities. The game changed briefly when Hugo Gonzalez stole the ball from Cam Thomas and went to the basket, giving the Celtics the lead with just over two minutes left in the third quarter. Brooklyn did not panic, re-established the game and ended the quarter in the lead (81-78), led by the activity on the offensive rebound and the versatility of Nick Klaxon.

Hugo Gonzalez in Heroes

The fourth quarter is like a game: tight, tense and above all unpredictable. The Nets score a lot on other occasions, while Luca Garza stands out with a huge counter that changes the mood. Boston then found a second wind and went on an 11-0 run, its best run of the night, to take a ten-point lead with just over three minutes left, capped by a 3-pointer by Pritchard (101-91). But the Celtics can’t kill the game. Brooklyn hangs on, Noah Clowney recovers his layups, Claxton cleans up a few possessions after an offensive rebound to bring the Nets within one possession. Hauser has a chance to seal the win with an open shot, which he misses. In the next sequence, Porter Jr. misses the decisive shot, but Claxton once again equalizes. With 1.9 seconds left, Boston’s last possession was poorly executed and the game went into overtime (104-104).

The first overtime is quickly turning into a headache for the Celtics. Luca Garza accumulates fouls and leaves, while Boston was already suffering on the rebound. Brooklyn goes quickly into the penalty. The Celtics, however, took a four-point lead and had a chance to break even, but an alley-oop and a game-winning shot by the Nets turned the tide. Pritchard and Brown then miss two crucial shots. Nolan Traore makes just one of two shots, leaving Boston with one last 3-point chance. After a big defensive mistake, Hugo Gonzalez found himself alone in the corner to tie the game at 118-118 and send the two teams into double overtime.

Then the fatigue is obvious. Skill drops, legs are heavy and every possession depends on energy. Amari Williams, until then very little used, played the entire second overtime and stood out with an I-1, and then a particularly decisive counter with less than a minute to go, while Boston was leading by four points. Michael Porter Jr. tries to keep Brooklyn afloat, but the Nets miss crucial shots in the final seconds. The last missed shot finally sealed the fate of the match, and the Celtics won 130-126.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

Traore appears. With his speed and nerve, Nolan Traore caused a lot of problems for the Celtics. The author of 21 points, unfortunately, was not perfect, and his missed free throw allowed Hugo Gonzalez to tie the game in the last second of the first overtime.

A rare scenario for the Nets. It’s been eight years since the Barclays Center experienced the joy of a double overtime game. Including road games, the Nets haven’t played in double overtime since 2021 in Cleveland.

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Difference of points when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.