The Boston Celtics are officially heading to the second round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs after pulling off a clean sweep of the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night. This was a series that many believed would go the distance, but Jayson Tatum and the Celtics' terrific play on both ends proved to be too much for Kevin Durant and Co.

Following the Game 4 loss, KD had nothing but praise for Tatum, who frankly outplayed him in the series.

Via Yahoo Sports:

“I told Jayson when he was in high school, he gonna sell shoes, he gonna be an All-Star,” Durant said. “So for him to do this? I expect him to do this; it’s no surprise to me. I expect him to be a Hall of Famer, 30,000 points, three-time Olympian. I expect that out of him because that’s how talented he is. That’s how great he is.”

Now that's a cool story. KD knew the Celtics All-Star was special the first time he met him in high school. You have to love the genuine respect between the two. Tatum hit big shot after big shot all series long, going on to average 29.5 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.5 rebounds in the opening round. He shot a blistering 42% from three-point land as well.

As for KD, the Celtics stifled him defensively, but the Nets star still managed to score 39 points on Monday. Now, Boston awaits the winner of the Bulls/Bucks series. Given how this squad played in the conference quarterfinals, they could truly go all the way, with Jayson Tatum at the forefront.