Brooklyn Nets' Nicholas Claxton dunks during the second half of Game Five of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center on June 01, 2021. Photo Credit: SARAH STIER/GETTY IMAGES
Nicolas Claxton, a member of the Brooklyn Nets and the Virgin Islands National Team is headed to the second round of the NBA playoffs after the Nets beat the Boston Celtics 123-109 on Tuesday night to win their first-round playoffs series in 5 games.
The Nets are led by its "Big Three" of James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but Mr. Claxton played in every game of the first round and made an impact by rebounding and blocking shots.
In the clinching victory, Mr. Claxton had 6 points, 4 rebounds and a blocked shot in 12 minutes of play.
In the opening game of the series, the Nets won 104-93 and Mr. Claxton had 5 rebounds, 6 points and blocked a shot in 11 minutes of action.
In Game 2, Mr. Claxton played 18 minutes and even though he didn’t score he made an impact in other ways. He blocked a shot, recorded a steal, secured 3 rebounds, had 2 assists in a 130-108 Nets victory.
Game 3 of the series saw the Nets fall, 125-119 in their only loss of the series, and Mr. Claxton had 4 points, 5 rebounds and blocked a shot in 16 minutes of court time.
Mr. Claxton blocked 4 shots, had a rebound but was held scoreless in just 8 minutes of action in a 141-126 Nets Game 4 victory.
The Nets will play the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. The Bucks Assistant General Manager, Milton Newton, was born in the territory. He is the co-founder, president and executive director of Emerald Gems, an organization that hosts basketball camps in territory. During his playing days he won the NCAA National Championship in 1988 as a member of the Kansas Jayhawks.
Mr. Claxton made his V.I. Senior National Team debut in June of 2018 versus the Bahamas. He comes from a basketball family and is eligible for the V.I. National Team because his father, Charles Claxton, was born in St. Thomas. Charles also played in the NBA. His brother, Chase Claxton, is a V.I. National Team prospect and made the NCAA tournament with Winthrop this March.
In 2019, Nicolas was selected in the first pick of the second round (31st Overall) by the Nets out of the University of Georgia.
