And just like that, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are out of the playoffs.
Dominating with defense and a tenacious offensive attack, the Celtics beat the Nets 116-112 in Game 4 to sweep Brooklyn in their first-round matchup. It's a shocking end for the Nets, who many believed to be a true championship contender.
It may feel like forever ago but the Nets actually entered the season as preseason NBA title favorites. And in bowing out in four games, they became the first preseason title favorite to not win a single playoff game in at least 35 years.
With their season on the line, Durant did everything he could to try and lead his team to a victory. The All-Star forward scored a series-high 39 points, dished out nine assists and pulled down seven boards. It was a classic case of "too little, too late" for Durant who struggled to shake free of Boston's suffocating D earlier in the series, a key factor in falling into an insurmountable 3-0 deficit in the first place.
Many NBA players — past and present — reveled in Brooklyn's postseason collapse at the hands of the Celtics, taking to #NBATwitter to poke fun at the Nets demise.
Celtics legend and Hall of Famer Paul Pierce kept it simple and tweeted out the shrug emoji:
🤷🏾♂️
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) April 26, 2022
Golden State Warriors big man Draymond Green also went the emoji route.
😂😂😂😂😂👀👀👀👀
— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) April 26, 2022
Green did backtrack a bit, saying he wasn't talking about Brooklyn getting swept but also didn't clarify what he was tweeting about with all the emojis.
Y’all thought I was laughing at the nets getting swept? I’m a little more blatant than that. Y’all can at least give me credit for that 😂😂😂
— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) April 26, 2022
And of course there were plenty of jokes at Brooklyn's expense. Here's just a few of them:
When LeBron see Kyrie in the Maldives pic.twitter.com/i2UDKqc5IS
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) April 26, 2022
Lakers running into the Nets in Cancun pic.twitter.com/Uwl0aiEdpX
— Jasmine (@JasmineLWatkins) April 26, 2022
Ben Simmons observing greatness pic.twitter.com/fTOgXlHugd
— Tim (@timisaperson) April 24, 2022
KD in the parking lot calling Draymond right now 😂
— O🅿️timistic Warriors fan (@GoIdenState) April 26, 2022
*When people said the #Celtics should avoid the Nets* pic.twitter.com/KWf5QrS2nW
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 26, 2022
Nets fans really chanted “WE WANT BOSTON!” only to get swept 😂 pic.twitter.com/LFxBYkaete
— Celtics Junkies (@Celtics_Junkies) April 26, 2022
NBA twitter watching the nets get swept in round 1 pic.twitter.com/KOyB30g8bq
— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) April 26, 2022
The Celtics now await the winner of the first-round series between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Chicago Bulls. The Bucks lead that series 3-1.
As for the Nets?
Expect major questions immediately regarding a suddenly murky future. Kyrie Irving can opt out of his contract and become a free agent, a topic which he was asked about immediately.
Ben Simmons never suited up for the Nets but will now have a full offseason to finally get past the hurdles preventing him from making an appearance in 2022.
Then there's the status of head coach Steve Nash, who now owns a 7-9 postseason record in two seasons with the Nets with one series win to show for it. Will he make it back for a third season?
Only time will tell. But for now, keep scrolling on #NBATwitter as the takes fly fast and furious.