By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Boston Celtics are on the verge of sweeping the mighty Brooklyn Nets after grabbing Game 3, 109-103, to take a 3-0 playoffs lead while the young Minnesota Timberwolves held their ground and equalized their series against the Memphis Grizzlies after a huge 119-118 Game 4 win.
As shocking as it sounds, the duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving might be tasting their first-ever first-round playoff sweep.
The Brooklyn Nets just couldn’t figure out how to break the Boston Celtics’ defense while constantly keeping an aggressive body on the surging Jayson Tatum.
Boston’s young and emerging superstar once again torched the Nets and dropped a game-high 39-point performance including five rebounds, six assists, and an impressive six steals tally that were converted into points on the other end.
The Nets looked to blow the game wide open after immediately establishing a double-digit lead in the first quarter but Tatum’s own offensive stretch kept Boston within striking distance.
Jaylen Brown also erupted late for Boston and sank the much-needed baskets in the final canto including a difficult step-back jumper that extended their lead to nine again.
For the third-straight time, Durant struggled from the field and only scored 16 points in 45 minutes. What’s surprising is that the six-foot-nine sniper only made 11 attempts from the field.
The Brooklyn squad will go back to the drawing board and look to win a game on their home floor to avoid a sweep and an elimination before heading back to Boston for a potential Game 5.
In the Western conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves responded huge during Game 4 and avoided another late-game meltdown to secure the win and tie the series at 2-2.
Karl-Anthony Towns silenced his doubters after leading the Timberwolves artillery with 33 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, and one block.
It was a total team effort for Minnesota as their balanced attack proved to be the huge difference on top of their much-improved perimeter defense.
Memphis looked to repeat another comeback in the last 30 seconds of the game after two quick threes from Dillion Brooks and Desmond Bane.
However, Minnesota sank four crucial free throws courtesy of Anthony Edwards and Towns to keep their lead within four before Bane’s last second Hail Mary weave that cut the final lead to just one.
Ja Morant was a non-factor offensively after only scoring 11 points on 4/13 shooting from the field but recorded 15 assists and eight rebounds.
For the other games of the schedule, the Utah Jazz spoiled Luka Doncic’s return after nipping the Dallas Mavericks, 100-99, and evened the series at 2-2 while the Toronto Raptors refused to get swept and got the better of the Philadelphia 76ers during Game 4, 110-102.
