NEW YORK (AP) - Durant had 32 points and 12 rebounds, Irving scored 29 points and the Nets recovered from their superstars’ frigid start to beat the Celtics 104-93 on Saturday night.
Harden finished with 21 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in just the ninth appearance of the season for the trio. The three combined to go 0 for 11 from 3-point range in the first half, then stormed out of the locker room with an 18-4 run to open the third and swing the lead the Nets’ way for good.
The Nets announced a sellout crowd of 14,391 after playing in fully or mostly empty arenas for most of the season. Harden said the loud crowd was an adjustment.
Durant, Irving and Harden scored 28 of the Nets’ 31 points in the period, with Joe Harris - who made Brooklyn’s only 3-pointer of the first half - hitting another for the other points.
Harris had 10 points for the Nets, who host Game 2 on Tuesday night.
Jayson Tatum scored 22 points, but shot just 6 for 20 and couldn’t come to his 50-point effort in the play-in tournament, when Boston beat Washington to earn the No. 7 seed.
The Celtics managed just 40 points in the second half and shot 37% for the game.
Durant, Harden and Irving were a combined 5 for 20 in the first quarter and the Nets missed all nine 3-point attempts in the period. Boston opened a 32-20 lead early in the second.
Harris finally hit a 3 with 2:18 left and Boston brought a 53-47 lead into the half.
Things changed quickly after halftime. Harden made a 3 after four straight points by Durant out of the locker room. After two Boston baskets, it went: Irving 3, Durant 3, Durant jumper, Harden 3. That capped the 18-4 stretch and made it 65-57.
Irving and Durant combined for the finishing flurry in the fourth, a 12-2 run that extended a three-point lead to 94-81 on Irving’s follow shot.