LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) - Kevin Durant scored 26 points, Joe Harris added 25 as the Brooklyn Nets seized control early and cruised to a 130-108 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of their National Basketball Association (NBA) Eastern Conference first-round series.
The second-seeded Nets lead the series 2-0 with Game 3 on Friday (May 28) in Boston.
Durant added eight rebounds, five assists, four blocked shots and made eight of 12 shots as the Nets shot 52.3 per cent and hit 17 three-pointers. The sharp-shooting Nets missed only one free throw, going 21-for-22 in the victory.
Harris hit seven of 10 three-point tries to tie the franchise record for three-pointers in a play-off game set by Deron Williams in 2015.
James Harden contributed 20 points and seven of Brooklyn's 31 assists. Former Celtic Kyrie Irving finished with 15 and Blake Griffin chipped in 11 as no Brooklyn starter played more than 29 minutes.
Marcus Smart led the Celtics with 19 points, including five three-pointers, and Kemba Walker added 17. Evan Fournier contributed 16 points and Tristan Thompson finished with 15 and 11 boards as Boston shot 42.4 per cent and allowed 26 points off 17 turnovers.
The Celtics received a quiet game from Jayson Tatum, who was held to nine points on three-for-12 shooting. He is shooting nine of 32 from the field in the series and exited after getting poked in the right eye during the third quarter.
After a sluggish start to their 104-93 win in Game 1 on Saturday, the Nets dominated from the outset and led by double digits for the final 37min 10sec.
Brooklyn took control by ripping off 15 straight points in a span of 2:57 to take a 29-13 lead on a 20-footer by Jeff Green with 4:57 remaining. Green's shot occurred after Harris hit three three-pointers in a span of 59 seconds and the run helped the Nets get a 40-26 lead through the opening quarter.
Harden's four-point play gave the Nets their first 20-point lead less than two minutes into the second. When Harris hit his sixth three-pointer, Brooklyn held a 61-36 lead at the 4:59 mark and it took a 71-47 lead by half-time.
Harris made his seventh three-pointer midway through the third and Brooklyn held a 109-82 lead into the final period.
