The Nets’ additional time thriller at TD Backyard final week was, in truth, not a fluke. The circumstances had been just a bit higher for them. The Boston Celtics had been taking part in with out Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porziņģis, missed 39 3-pointers on their residence courtroom, and Brooklyn appropriately pushed the defending champions to the brink of defeat.
Nevertheless, Wednesday’s rematch at Barclays Heart felt like a totally totally different ballgame, as a result of it was. Brown rejoined his All-Star working mate Jayson Tatum on the wing. Brooklyn was with out two affect defenders in Ben Simmons (left calf tightness) and Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle sprain).
And as a substitute of capturing a measly 26.4% from deep, the Celtics shot a season-high 48.9% from downtown (22-of-45), racked up 18 second-chance factors, pressured 13 turnovers and defeated Brooklyn handily this time round, 139-114, to take a 2-0 lead on the season collection. The house group made 19 treys and shot a powerful 51.3% from the sphere, however it didn’t matter compared to Boston’s dominance.
The Nets fell to 5-7 after Wednesday’s end result and have now misplaced three of their previous 4 video games. Up subsequent, the group has two video games towards the Knicks in three days, beginning with Friday’s matchup at Madison Sq. Backyard.
The ultimate rating was a bit jarring, particularly contemplating how properly the Nets performed early. They raced out to a 14-5 lead behind stellar play at each ends of the courtroom by Ziaire Williams, and regardless of being shorthanded, they led by as many as 13 factors within the first quarter.
Sadly for them, Tatum took over towards the tip of the opening interval and made 5 of his first seven pictures. Then the MVP chants began. Then all of the sudden Brooklyn’s 13-point benefit had been trimmed down to 2 coming into the second quarter. Boston, paced by Brown and Payton Pritchard who mixed for 23 factors within the second quarter, outscored the Nets 33-26 to take a 65-60 lead at halftime. Brooklyn’s Cam Thomas began to get it going earlier than the break, however it was a comparatively quiet evening for him total.
Tatum poured in 15 extra factors within the third quarter. The Celtics made seven extra treys as a group and dedicated zero turnovers within the interval. And similar to that Brooklyn discovered itself down 14 factors coming into the ultimate body and by no means recovered.
Williams completed with a season-high 23 factors for the Nets within the loss. Thomas and Dennis Schröder added 17 and 16 factors, respectively.
Tatum (36 factors) and Brown (24 factors) mixed for 60 factors in Boston’s tenth win of the season and Pritchard added 23 factors off the bench.
Initially Revealed: November 13, 2024 at 10:08 PM EST
