Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images Celtics' leading scorer Jayson Tatum looks to lead Boston to a 2-0 series lead on Wednesday night.
Fresh off a thrilling buzzer-beating win, the Boston Celtics look to expand their series lead when they take on the Brooklyn Nets in Game 2 of an Eastern Conference first-round matchup on Wednesday night at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
The game (7 p.m. ET start time) will be televised on TNT. But if you don’t have cable, here are some different ways you can watch a live stream of the Celtics vs Nets Game 2 online:
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DirecTV Stream
Note: You can watch every game of the series with DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” ABC, ESPN and TNT are included in every one, while NBA TV is in “Choice” and up, but you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch the Celtics vs Nets live on the DirecTV Stream app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the DirecTV Stream website.
You can also watch games via the ESPN or TNT apps or websites. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but if you don’t have that, you can use your DirecTV Stream credentials to log in and watch.
Sling TV
Note: You can watch every game of the series with Sling TV
ESPN, ESPN3 (which simulcasts the ABC games) and TNT are included in Sling TV’s “Sling Orange” bundle, while NBA TV is in the “Sports Extra” add-on. This option doesn’t include a free trial, but it’s the cheapest long-term streaming service with the channels needed to watch the NBA playoffs, plus you can get $10 off your first month:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch the Celtics vs Nets live on the Sling TV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), airTV Mini, Oculus, Portal, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the Sling TV website.
You can also watch games via the ESPN or TNT apps or websites. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but if you don’t have that, you can use your Sling credentials to log in and watch.
Hulu With Live TV
Note: You can watch every game of the series with the exception of any that are on NBA TV
You can watch a live stream of ABC, ESPN, TNT and 65+ other TV channels via Hulu With Live TV, which now also includes both ESPN+ and Disney+ as part of the bundle:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch the Celtics vs Nets live on the Hulu app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, Nintendo Switch, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the Hulu website.
You can also watch games via the ESPN or TNT apps or websites. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but if you don’t have that, you can use your Hulu credentials to log in and watch.
Celtics vs Nets Game 2 Preview
The Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets meet in Game 2 of their hotly-contested Eastern Conference first-round series, just a few days after the two teams produced an instant classic that ended with a buzzer-beater.
The Celtics took Game 1 in dramatic fashion on Sunday when Jayson Tatum made a spinning layup as time expired, sending TD Garden into a frenzy. The bucket capped a 115-114 win and gave the Celtics a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Tatum, the Celtics’ leading scorer this season, had a team-high 31 points, including his first career buzzer-beating basket.
“When he took that dribble we just kind of made eye contact. He made a great pass,” Tatum said about teammate Marcus Smart’s incredible dish that set up the game-winner. “It doesn’t get any better than that. A buzzer-beater in a playoff game at home.”
Jaylen Brown tallied 23 points and Al Horford recorded a double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds for the Celtics in the series opener.
The Nets were led by Kyrie Irving, who put up a game-high 39 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter. Kevin Durant added 23 points but struggled from the field, connecting on only 9 of 23 shots.
“They did a good job of forcing me away, then helping in the paint. I just got to be more fundamental in my moves,” Durant said following the Game 1 defeat. “I feel like some shots went in an out for me.”
Here’s a look at the tale of the tape heading into Game 2 of this first-round series:
No. 2 Boston Celtics (51-31, Atlantic Division Champion)
The Celtics are hoping to avenge the first-round defeat they suffered at the hands of the Nets last season. Boston and Brooklyn flipped seeds this season, with Boston going into the playoffs as a division champion and two seed, while Brooklyn grabbed the seventh seed after winning a play-in game.
Leading the way for the Celtics is three-time All-Star Jayson Tatum, who averaged 26.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game during the regular season.
The second-leading scorer on the team is Jaylen Brown, who tallied 23.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists heading into the postseason.
The Celtics get it done on the defensive end of the floor, leading the league in defensive rating (106.2) and points allowed per game (104.5). The heart of that defense is guard Marcus Smart, who was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year on Monday. Smart, who ranks seventh in the NBA in steals per game (1.68), is the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season.
No. 7 Brooklyn Nets (44-38, Winner of the No. 7 vs No. 8 Play-In Game)
The Nets advanced to the NBA Playoffs after getting past the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Play-In Tournament.
Brooklyn was expected to be a juggernaut coming into the season with the superstar trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving, but the three rarely took the court together due to a combination of injuries and COVID restrictions.
Harden was ultimately traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in a blockbuster deal on Feb. 10 that returned Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round draft picks.
Irving played in only 29 games during the regular season, as he wasn’t able to play in the majority of the team’s home games due to his vaccination status. With the restrictions being lifted in New York, the seven-time All-Star is now able to play in all Nets games and was a force down the stretch, averaging 27.4 points, 5.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game.
Kevin Durant led the team in scoring this season at 29.9 points per game. The 12-time All-Star shot 41.8 percent from the field, while also averaging 7.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game during the regular season.
The Nets are looking to break through with their superstar duo this season, a year after they lost to the eventual NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks in seven games in the conference semifinals.
Celtics vs Nets First Round Schedule
- Game 1: Celtics 115, Nets 114
- Game 2: Nets at Celtics, Wed. 4/20 (7 p.m. ET, TNT)
- Game 3: Celtics at Nets, Sat. 4/23 (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
- Game 4: Celtics at Nets, Mon. 4/25 (7 p.m. ET, TNT)
- Game 5: Nets at Celtics, Wed. 4/27 (if necessary)
- Game 6: Celtics at Nets, Fri. 4/29 (if necessary)
- Game 7: Nets at Celtics, Sun. 5/1 (if necessary)