The Brooklyn Nets became the only team to get swept in the first round of the NBA Playoffs and Twitter showed no mercy on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
It was a do-or-die type of moment for the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Monday night. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and their teammates — save for the infamously still-sidelined Ben Simmons — were facing elimination against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. They needed a win to just stay alive.
Despite a phenomenal performance from Durant, though, it wasn’t meant to be. The Celtics secured a 116-112 victory that was sealed by a missed free throw from KD late in the fourth quarter and ended up getting swept.
Miraculously, a team with two of the biggest names in the league went down in a series sweep as the only team in the first round of the playoffs that was unable to muster a win.
Nets swept by Celtics: NBA Twitter flames Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving
The good people of NBA Twitter made sure to show Durant, Irving and the Nets absolutely no mercy after dropping the series without a win to their credit.
Such a painful ending to a really twisted season. Nets eliminated in a sweep. Durant has huge game, but it's not enough. Nets lose 116-112.
— Barbara Barker (@meanbarb) April 26, 2022
Three years after Kyrie Irving ditched the “young guys” to partner with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn, Celtics sweep the Nets out of the first round of the playoffs.
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) April 26, 2022
This is actually better. Durant missing a free throw for the season-ending loss *chef's kiss* https://t.co/VqyopwPEN1
— Dion Rabouin 🏔 👑 🏆 (@DionRabouin) April 26, 2022
Narrator: Essentially anyone could take down Lebron or Kevin Durant’s teams. https://t.co/L76OFyq3Lz
— Andrew G. Haubner (@A_G_Haubner) April 26, 2022
A sentence you’d never think you’d read: Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, on the same team, were just swept in the first round of the playoffs.
— Zach Rosen (@ZacharySRosen) April 26, 2022
Great season, Nets! Another banner year for Kyrie and Durant in Brooklyn!! pic.twitter.com/QtXEF8PmSc
— Anthony Riccobono (@Tony_Riccobono) April 26, 2022
it is simply inexcusable that the Nets were idiots and did not immediately foul when Durant missed thst second fre throw...then allowed the Celtics to get to the basket...then get an offensive rebound and convert to make it a two-possession game. That simply SHOULD not happen.
— Vincent Lee (@Rover829) April 26, 2022
At least the Bulls didn't get swept like that team with KD & Kyrie did... pic.twitter.com/u7xA3hhFbZ
— Matt Peck (@Bulls_Peck) April 26, 2022
It’s truly remarkable that this Nets team went out in this manner.
Sure, the dysfunction was there all season with Irving’s bout with his vaccination status and being unable to play home games for much of the year alongside the apparent bad fit between Durant and James Harden (and Kyrie when he was able to play). Throw in the injuries as well and things were always rocky.
Still, the talent on the Brooklyn roster is immense, so to see a Celtics team not just get past them but punk them on this type of postseason stage is certainly something that Twitter has every right to roast the Nets for.