After staking the Celtics to a 72-57 advantage, the Nets changed course, consistently blitzing Tatum as he came off screens, forcing his teammates to beat them.
The two-time All-NBA First Team selection had no qualms with that, routinely getting the ball to Jrue Holiday or Derrick White on a short roll after screening for him. While he only scored ten points in the second half, with the defense at a numbers disadvantage, he accumulated one hockey assist after another, and Boston continued creating quality looks.
While the visitors eased off the gas late in the third quarter, and it carried into the fourth, as turnovers and defensive slip-ups that led to open threes for Brooklyn factored into the hosts staging an 11-1 run to pull within six after being down 23.
But despite the matchup growing more competitive in the final frame, the Celtics sealed a 118-110 win in their second-to-last game before the All-Star break.
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