After a start that featured a thunderous Rondae Hollis-Jefferson fast break dunk, the Nets went cold for the latter half of the first quarter. Both teams struggled offensively, shooting 30 percent from the field in the first, leading to a 21-16 Boston advantage. The second half saw the Celtics maintain a lead, with both teams struggling at shooting and ball control. At the end of the second, the score was a shockingly low 45-37.
In the second half, the Nets started to show some life. They closed the deficit with the Brook Lopez–Jeremy Lin combo playing well.