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Nets ousting Celtics makes Danny Ainge's legacy come full circle

Danny Ainge's highway robbery of the Brooklyn Nets back in 2013 is why Billy King is no longer employed as the team's general manager. The infamous trade brought an embarrassment of riches to Beantown in the form of draft picks to build Ainge's team of the future into a championship contender. Despite making the Eastern Conference Finals three of the past four years, excluding this season, the Celtics have fallen belly up on playoff runs time and time again without an NBA finals appearance or trophy to show for it. During the better part of the last eight years, the Nets were deemed to be a team destined for the lottery for the foreseeable future, and with no hope of potentially becoming a championship contending team. Flash forward seven years and the Nets have emerged as a free agent destination and Sean Marks has built an incredible roster by creative maneuvering to purchase draft picks, redefine the team's culture, and attract viable free agents in the form of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. After Brooklyn's gentlemen's sweep of Boston,Ainge has announced his retirement with Brad Stevens inexplicably getting promoted to President of basketball operations and leaving his head coaching position with the team. The immediate aftermath of the infamous Boston - Brooklyn trade saw the Celtics as the winners, but it appears with the Nets closing in on a deep playoff run that they could get the last laugh.

For Nets, Milwaukee poses first real test of playoff run

Brooklyn's gentlemen's sweep of Boston went exactly as many anticipated with a shorthanded Celtics squad being overwhelmed by a star-studded Nets lineup. James Harden, like the rest of the team, has already turned his attention to the Bucks, who took two out of three regular season meetings against the Nets without their Big Three healthy. Brooklyn is undefeated in three games at Barclays Center during this year's playoffs and will hold home court advantage over Milwaukee. The Nets will have their hands full with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who's in the running yet again for another league MVP award. Brooklyn's trio of superstars isn't chasing any personal accolades, but rather the first title in franchise history. Milwaukee and Brooklyn on me Saturday night for Game 1.

Nets win first playoff series since 2014

For the first time since Brooklyn's original Big 3 era, with a trio of former Celtics in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry, the Nets are advancing to the second round of the NBA playoffs. The three aforementioned former stars will always be linked to the infamous trade between Boston and Brooklyn that sent a truckload of first-round draft choices to Beantown in exchange for the aging stars. Flash forward seven years and it's the Nets making a deep playoff run and the Celtics with another exit and no NBA Finals berths to show for all the draft picks and maneuverings of Danny Ainge. Brooklyn has a long way to go if it hopes to climb to the top of the Eastern Conference mountain, but the 4-1 series win over Boston has to have fans of the Nets smiling and getting the last laugh in this Atlantic division rivalry.

Kyrie Irving, Nets stomp Celtics out of playoffs 123-109 in Game 5

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There will be no return trip to Boston for Kyrie Irving and company as they officially eliminated the Celtics in Game 5 at Barclays Center on Tuesday night to win the series 4-1. James Harden had 34, Kevin Durant 25, and Irving 24, while Bruce Brown and Joe Harris added 10 apiece. Just two days after Irving irked Bostonians by stomping on the team's midcourt logo, Brooklyn stuf stomped on the hearts of all Celtics fans. Without Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker, the Celtics fought valiantly but it wasn't enough against the high-powered, high octane offense of the Nets. Brooklyn has won its first playoff series since 2014 and will take on the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the playoffs.

Kevin Durant leading all scorers in 2021 NBA playoffs

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For those still wondering if Kevin Durant would ever regain his MVP form, look no further than his playoff output so far as he leads the entire NBA in points per game at 34.8. Brooklyn's Big Three has been remarkable through four games and is primed to deliver the knockout blow on Tuesday night. Durant is a nightmare matchup for any team and even with a player of similar size and stature on the opposite side, Jayson Tatum, no one is able to bottle up the Nets star. Brooklyn is on the verge of its first playoff series win since 2014 and an eventual matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Before turning their attention to their next round opponent, the Nets will need to finish their Atlantic division rivals in Game 5 back at Barclays.

Nets set new franchise playoff record for points, trounce Celtics 141-126

Kevin Durant had 42, Kyrie Irving 39, and James Harden 23 as the Brooklyn Nets pushed the Boston Celtics to the brink of elimination Sunday night.
The Nets set a new franchise playoff record for points with 141 in the win. Jayson Tatum dropped in 40 points, but Brooklyn held down the rest of Boston supporting cast in the contest. Once again Steve Nash's bench was not a major factor in the scoring column outside of Bruce Brown who produced 14 points. Brooklyn's offensive fireworks were on full display Sunday night at TD garden with the Celtics needing a win in Game 5 on Tuesday night to avoid going home for the remainder of the playoffs.

Steve Nash needs to extend bench rotation , paging DeAndre Jordan and Mike James

Aside from extended garbage minutes in Game 2, Steve Nash has kept his bench rotation short and leaned heavily on James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to shoulder the lion's share of the minutes and scoring punch.
DeAndre Jordan has yet to play a single minute and backup point guard Mike James has just eight minutes for the entire series. Kudos to Steve Nash for sticking to his guns and going with his big dogs, but the Nets are going to need to develop the confidence of their bench if they hope to go deep into the playoffs. The Big Three needs time to develop chemistry together, but the energy and scrappiness of the bench is what carried Brooklyn through the majority of the regular season without its top players fully healthy. Look for Nash to possibly toy with his rotations in an effort too late to spark under his team and escape Boston with a win in Game 4.
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