BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Despite playing together for only the eighth time, the Brooklyn Nets’ much-ballyhooed triumvirate of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving helped carry the nets to a Game 1 win over the Boston Celtics, 104-93.
Brooklyn, whom many have pegged at the favorite to dethrone LeBron James and the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, hope to claim the first sports title for New York’s largest borough since the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in 1955, before relocating west to Los Angeles in 1957.
In what would be a case of happenstance, if the stars align, and the sports gods smile, it would seem fitting that a team from the BKYN would play a team from the city that lured it’s beloved Dodgers to SoCal.
If the “Big Three” and their combined 82 points and seemingly unstoppable display of offense are any indication, then a possible Nets-Lakers NBA Finals could very well happen.
Led by Durant’s 32 points and 12 rebounds followed by Irving’s 29 points and Harden’s 21 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Brooklyn shook off a slow start and rode the energy of a raucous sellout crowd of 14,391 at the Barclays Center.
Joe Harris added 10 points on 4-11 shooting from the field in 37 minutes.
Boston Celtics small forward Jason Tatum scored a team-high 22 points in 41 minutes, but struggled in going 6-20 from the field. Marcus Smart added 17 points while Kemba Walker added 15.