The waiting is over: The first-round NBA playoff series between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets begins Sunday afternoon at TD Garden.
It's a rematch of last season's first-round series that Brooklyn won in five games over an injury-depleted Boston squad.
A lot has changed in just a year.
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The Celtics are playing better than just about every team in the league. They've won 26 of their last 32 games, ranked No. 1 in defensive rating, No. 9 in offensive rating and No. 2 in net rating. The C's earned the No. 2 seed and have home court advantage.
They are much better equipped to take down the Nets, who just wrapped up a rollercoaster regular season full of setbacks such as injuries, a blockbuster trade that sent James Harden to Philly in exchange for Ben Simmons, and Kyrie Irving missing most of the team's home games due to New York City's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Brooklyn fell all the way to the No. 7 seed, but the Celtics cannot underestimate this Nets team. Kevin Durant and Irving are two of the best players in the league with a proven track record of clutch heroics in high-pressure playoff moments.
The Celtics are slight betting favorites to win this series, and most experts expect it go six or seven games.
Boston Celtics
Here's everything you need to know to watch Celtics vs. Nets Game 1, including NBC Sports Boston's full pregame and postgame coverage.
Note: Games 2-6 of the Brooklyn Nets-Boston Celtics series will be aired exclusively on NBC Sports Boston and can also be streamed on NBCSportsBoston.com or with the MyTeams App, which you can download below.
What time do the Celtics play the Nets?
Tipoff between the Celtics and Nets is set for 3:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden.
What TV channel is Celtics vs. Nets on?
Celtics-Nets will air on ABC.
Celtics Pregame Live begins on NBC Sports Boston at 2:30 p.m. ET. Watch the show live here and in the MyTeams app.
Tune in to NBC Sports Boston after the game for Celtics Postgame Live. You can watch here and in the MyTeams app.
How to stream Celtics vs. Nets live online
Celtics Pregame Live stream: NBC Sports Boston
Celtics vs. Nets: Watch ESPN
Celtics Postgame Live stream: NBC Sports Boston
Mobile app: MyTeams
Note: Games 2-6 of the Brooklyn Nets-Boston Celtics series will be aired exclusively on NBC Sports Boston and can also be streamed on NBCSportsBoston.com or with the MyTeams App, which you can download below.