Tatum, Brown lead Celtics to 109-103 win, 3-0 lead over Nets

NEW YORK (AP) — The stoppers are suffocating the scorers.

And as Boston was finishing another shutdown effort against Kevin Durant and the Nets, a loud “Let’s Go Celtics! Let’s Go Celtics!” chant broke out from the many fans in green who had seats in Barclays Center.

There wasn’t much for the home fans to cheer about as the Nets face a team that just won’t let them get anything going.

“More of the same,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka said. “We’re making it tough.”

Jayson Tatum scored 39 points, Jaylen Brown had 23 and Boston took a 3-0 lead over Brooklyn with a 109-103 victory Saturday night.

Again making things difficult on Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Celtics put themselves in position to sweep their way into the second round with a victory Monday night in Brooklyn.

The Celtics forced 21 turnovers that led to 37 points. Tatum had six of their 13 steals.

“My message is, nobody plays harder than we do,” Tatum said.

Durant took only 11 shots, finishing with 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Irving was 6 for 17, missing all seven 3-pointers, and also had 16 points for the Nets, who have to decide if they will give Ben Simmons his debut Monday in an elimination game.

Boston's defense against the Nets' firepower was supposed to make this a can't-miss series, even though it matches a No. 2 seed against a No. 7.

But it's been mostly all Celtics since Tatum's basket at the buzzer gave them a victory in Game 1. Durant and Irving combined for just one basket in the second half of Game 2, never had much impact in this one and might get only one more chance.

“We know what it is," Durant said. "I don’t think no speech or anything will do at this part of the year. You know what it is. We’re down 3-0. We got another game on