The Brooklyn Nets are going to face a must-win scenario when they play Game 3 of their first round series against the Boston Celtics Friday night. The reason for that is the collapse that was the Nets on Wednesday. Brooklyn held a 17-point lead at one point and could very easily have been up by much more than that.

However, turnovers and sloppy fouls defensively allowed the Celtics to keep touch with the Nets throughout the game. Ultimately, Boston took over from the middle of the third quarter through the end of the game, winning 114-107. Boston now holds a 2-0 series lead. Historically, the Celtics are 40-1 all-time in the NBA playoffs when they win the first two games of a series. That's certainly not a good omen for the Nets.

This was a massive disappointment considering the energy and intensity Brooklyn started the game with. Nevertheless, the Nets melted down and now need to beat Boston four of the next five games.

Here are the four biggest culprits for the Nets' massive 17-point choke job vs. the Celtics in Game 2 of the NBA playoffs first-round series.

4 Biggest Culprits Behind the Nets' 17-Point Choke Job vs. Celtics

1. KEVIN DURANT

Of course we have to begin with the player regarded as the best in the world at the sport. Kevin Durant was downright awful. You could easily argue this was the worst playoff game of his entire career.

The Nets superstar made just four of 17 shots from the field. But it wasn't just his lack of shooting. He had six turnovers, seemed to be forcing things offensively, and made numerous defensive mistakes.

Brooklyn fans were no doubt expecting eventually some of his jumpers were going to fall. But they never did. Boston played tough, physical defense on him. That's part of why he shot a game-high 20 free throws. But even though he hit 18 of the 20, the two misses were huge. In a tight game midway through the 4th quarter, Durant missed two free throws. How often do you see that happen.

After the game, Nets coach Steve Nash talked about what happened to Durant.

“I think they're being physical. They are upping into him, grabbing him, holding him, all that stuff you come to expect,” Nash said. That is very accurate. The same can be said for what Brooklyn did to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but they found ways to make plays. The Nets best player did not and deserves most of the blame.

2. CELTICS BENCH

The Boston Celtics bench deserves a lot of credit for the comeback win. They only played three guys off the bench, but all of them had an impact on the outcome.

With the Nets building a huge lead in the first quarter, it was Grant Williams who scored the final eight points for Boston to close the quarter. Brooklyn very easily could have led by 15 or more after one. Instead, the lead was only nine points. Williams wasn't done, as he went on to hit a couple more shots in the second half. Williams finished with 17 points, going 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.

In the fourth quarter, it was the play of Payton Pritchard for Boston that made a difference. The Nets put Boston in foul trouble all game, forcing Pritchard to play extended minutes. He shot 5-for-7 from the floor for 10 points and was a +15 in the ever important plus/minus category.

3. KYRIE IRVING

Kyrie Irving absolutely deserves to be on this list as well. Even though he also shot poorly, going 4-for-13 from the field, that's not really why he appears though.

The Nets star guard did not look at all like himself. Of course, much of that had to do with the incredible defense Boston was playing. Same thing goes for Durant. But at least Durant was trying to score. At times, it appeared as though Irving was disinterested. He never commanded the ball. When Brooklyn's embattled guard did have the ball, he rarely ever made the right play with it. That's seen by his single assist.

If the Celtics are doubling you and Durant every time you touch the ball, that means people are open. For Irving to have one assist, in a game where Bruce Brown, Goran Dragic and Seth Curry could not miss a shot is inexcusable. After his 39-point masterpiece, Irving put forth a complete dud.

That's not going to cut it.

4. JAYLEN BROWN

Despite Jaylen Brown struggling with his shot for most of the game, when the Celtics needed him most, he stepped up.

With Boston trailing Brooklyn by five with a couple minutes played in the fourth quarter, Brown went on a run. He knocked down a couple shots from deep and a couple other layups.  He turned what was a five-point deficit into a five-point lead in the matters of a couple minutes. From there, Boston's defense just went to work.

Now, the Nets face a truly difficult battle ahead. If they thought it was tough thus far, they better hope Robert Williams doesn't come back; otherwise, they might not get another clean look this series.