Celtics

RECAP: Led by Jaylen Brown, the Celtics became the first team to hit 30 wins this season.

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BOSTON — Jaylen Brown scored a season-high 41 points and had 12 rebounds and the Boston Celtics won their fourth straight game, holding off the New Orleans ...

NOTES: Brown had 18 points and 10 rebounds in the first half. They played without Zion Williamson for the fifth consecutive game as he continues to deal with a strained right hamstring. New Orleans got to 107-97 with 7:32 left.

BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored a season-high 41 points and had 12 rebounds and the Boston Celtics won their fourth straight game, holding off the New ...

Torrey Craig scored 16 points and Josh Okogie added 14 and nine rebounds for the Suns. Anthony Edwards scored 20 points for Minnesota. Since Xodus Carnival and Bacchanal Jamaica dropped the plot twi Desmond Bane finished with 18 points and Tyus Jones added 16. Bones Hyland added 21 points and Jamal Murray had 16 to help the Nuggets win for the 14th time in 17 games. They have lost eight in a row and 13 of 14.

Jaylen Brown scored 41 points as the Boston Celtics underscored their status as the NBA's form team with a 125-114 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on ...

Saddiq Bey led the scoring for Detroit with 31 points as the Pistons snapped a three-game losing streak to climb above the Charlotte Hornets at the foot of the table. Pat Connaughton finished with 10 points. In other games on Wednesday, the Detroit Pistons moved off the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 135-118 blowout over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Nuggets kept up the scoring frenzy in the third quarter, stretching the lead to 32 points at one stage in the third quarter as they cruised to victory. The third-placed Milwaukee Bucks meanwhile kept up the pursuit of the Eastern Conference leaders with a 114-105 win over the Hawks in Atlanta, with Jrue Holiday leading the scoring with 27 points. The Eastern Conference leaders warmed up for Thursday's crunch clash against Brooklyn with a composed performance to overpower the Pelicans, the third-ranked team in the Western Conference this season.

Celtics vs Nets predictions for Thursday, January 12, 2023 in the NBA. Celtics vs Nets props. Props for Jayson Tatum and Nic Claxton.

Services are available in multiple languages and are free and confidential. The nets are 4th in field goal defense but way down in 27th when it comes to defending the three-ball. He’s had six or more in 18/20 games. But in the bigger picture, the Nets have been scorching hot of late. He fell just short of 30 in their last meeting. But Jayson Tatum’s player point totals are regularly in the 30s which is always a tough ask, even though he’s averaging 30.8 PPG. His total for the game against the Pels was set at 31.5. While his Thursday night totals aren’t posted at the time of this writing, a bet on the under may be worth considering if it’s in the 30s. He’s now had five or more rebounds in six-straight games. Jaylen Brown led all players that night with 34 points, while Jayson Tatum almost hit 30 himself with 29 for the Celtics. Boston pays -165 odds on the moneyline, with Brooklyn paying out +140. They are 3-1 in 2023 but are also 14-1 in their past 15.

Former Boston Celtics head coach Bill Fitch (RIP) was held in high regard for what he accomplished on the court with the teams he led, the Celtics no ...

The Brooklyn Nets were on a fantastic roll. They won 12 in a row and 16 of 17. Then Kevin Durant went down with a knee injury. The Nets were playing very ...

The road ahead will get tougher from here. On Sunday night, the Brooklyn Nets were in Florida to face the always tough Miami Heat.

I feel more confident in the O/U and taking the OVER than I do in predicting a winner. We have seen glimmers of that this season, but now is the time for him to approach All-Star Ben Simmons if the Nets are to stay near the top of the East. He’s helped the Nets defense become one of the league’s very best as he’s fit in well for the most part on that end. Tatum is fourth in the NBA in scoring at a shade under 31 points a game on .471/.358/.871 shooting in 36 minutes a night. He’s held the interior down for the Nets all season long, and he’s due for a battle tonight. If there’s any advantage for the Nets, it’s that this is the second leg of a back-to-back and third game in four nights for the Celtics. Durant has played at an MVP level and it will be up to everyone on the team to hold the fort down while he recovers. He underwent testing when the team returned to Brooklyn and he will be out for a few weeks. Vaughn won't play Warren superstar minutes, so look for Joe Harris to see a lot of time on the court as well. The game came down to the final seconds, and Royce O’Neale came through with a clutch offensive rebound and putback to escape South Beach with a [win](https://www.netsdaily.com/2023/1/8/23545236/nets-overcome-heat-102-101-at-the-buzzer-amid-worries-over-kevin-durants-knee). [Boston Celtics](https://www.celticsblog.com) are trying to be the first Eastern Conference team to have back-to-back trips to the [NBA Finals](https://www.sbnation.com/nba-finals) since the LeBron James era (version 2) [Cleveland Cavaliers](https://www.fearthesword.com). [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.netsdaily.com) were in Florida to face the always tough [Miami Heat](https://www.hothothoops.com).

Analyzing Thursday's Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets odds and lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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The Celtics will take on the Nets in a meeting between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.

Jan. The game will be played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. 4:30 p.m. - Time: 7:30 p.m. Nets will tip off around 7:30 p.m. For games on NBA TV, subscribe to Sling Orange & Sports Extra for $51/month. Stream Sling Orange for $40/month to catch all regular season games on TNT, ESPN & ABC. Viewers can also stream the game on Sling TV. Nets will air on TNT. The Sporting News has you covered with all the information you need to tune into this contest below. can watch the biggest games of the 2022-23 NBA season on Sling TV. Will Brooklyn keep things rolling even without Durant?

The Boston Celtics are looking for their fifth straight win Thursday night. Boston will hit the road to take on the rival Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center ...

Bulls: Boston Clamps Down Defensively to Overcome Cold Shooting](https://www.si.com/nba/celtics/top-stories/heres-what-stood-out-in-the-celtics-win-vs-bulls-boston-clamps-down-defensively-to-overcome-cold-shooting) [The Top 5 Plays from Monday's Celtics-Bulls Game](https://www.si.com/nba/celtics/top-stories/the-top-five-plays-from-mondays-celtics-bulls-game) A slow start for Boston wouldn't be too surprising against the Nets, but when it's all said and done and the final buzzer wins the Celtics definitely could come out on top. Boston and Brooklyn are the top two teams in the Eastern Conference so one could foresee Thursday's matchup as being a preview for the postseason. Irving will face a stingy Boston defense on Thursday night and even if they are without the services of Marcus Smart, will have to deal with Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon. Thursday's tilt is the second night of a back-to-back for Boston who Boston will hit the road to take on the rival Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Brooklyn is in a tough spot coming into this game and for the next month as well. When Durant missed 21 games last season with a similar injury, the team ...

Jaylen Brown became just the sixth Celtics player to have multiple 40-point, 10-rebounds games. That list includes Tatum, Larry Bird, Tommy Heinsohn, ...

But I definitely think we've got other limits to reach -- in the future, in our career -- and this is just a part of the processes right now, trying to learn and figure things out. "But so far, I think this is the best in terms of individually that we both have come out and played and led our team this season. Tatum dropped 31 points and pulled down 11 boards for his 15th double-double of the season.

Jaylen Brown scored a season-high 41 points and had 12 rebounds and the Boston Celtics won their fourth straight game.

"What we did last year and what they did last year leading us to the Finals, it shows a lot of growth on their end... They played without Zion Williamson for the fifth consecutive game as he continues to deal with a strained right hamstring. New Orleans got to 107-97 with 7:32 left. This is just part of the process." "Unfortunately we just came up short tonight." It was the fifth career 40-point game for Brown.

The Celtics are on a four-game win streak, but consistency issues have bogged down the team this season.

That’s when the C’s will look to play their best basketball of the season as they look to get back to the grandest stage in basketball. “As you go through the course of the year, sometimes it’s easy” Brown said. There’s still the second half of the season to navigate, but the playoffs are slowly creeping closer. That’s where the C’s will look to hold that edge as title contenders instead of laying low against opponents. Boston has been the best team in basketball as the C’s are also fresh off a Finals run. The recent results have all been positive for the Celtics as they built up a league-best 30-12 record.

Kevin and Donnie preview the Eastern Conference matchup between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets set for Thursday night in the NBA.

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They're the first team to reach 30 wins. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum became the first Celtics teammates since Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker in 2001 to have ...

“I don’t think this is the best you will see,” Brown said. “But so far I think this is the best in terms of individually that we have come out and played and led our team this season. You’ve got to show up, play basketball, give your maximum effort and get out of the mindset of being comfortable.” You’ve got to go out and prove it every single night. They’re the first team to reach 30 wins. But this team, which knows the sting of letting last year’s Finals slip away, is far from satisfied.

George Balekji joins Ben to recap the victory for the Boston Celtics over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night in the NBA.

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Marcus Smart and Rob Williams will be back in the lineup but the Celtics could still be down two starters against Brooklyn.

The team announced that Al Horford has been ruled out for Thursday night with lower back stiffness but the bigger surprise is [Jaylen Brown](https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2023/01/why-celtics-jaylen-brown-thinks-his-chemistr[%E2%80%A6]th-jayson-tatum-will-only-get-better-amid-stellar-start.html) will be questionable for the contests due to left adductor tightness. The good news for the Celtics is that while Brown’s status is uncertain, Marcus Smart and Robert Williams were not listed on the injury report, being they are cleared to return against the Nets. Horford will sit out the second half of a back-to-back for the seventh time this season.

Jaylen Brown delivered the best performance of his career season Wednesday night, but the Celtics guard still kept the focus on a larger goal that his team ...

"I definitely think we’ve got other limits to reach in the future in our career. While the C's have let their guard down at times this season -- six of their 12 losses have come against teams below .500 -- they appear to have taken Brown's words to heart, winning four straight after their loss to OKC. You have to go out and prove it every single night. He's also just the sixth Celtics player with multiple 40-point, 10-rebound games to his name, joining some elite company. He's shot better than 50 percent in six of his last nine contests and has scored 20-plus points in all but five games this season. "As we progress, I think the message is that comfort will kill you," Brown said.

The Boston Celtics visit the Brooklyn Nets. We continue our NBA odds series with a Celtics-Nets prediction, pick, and how to watch.

That being said, he scored 29 points in their last game and projects to be the focal point going forward. Additionally, the Celtics are efficient at putting the ball in the basket as they rank in the top 10 in both two-point (58%) and three-point (37%) field goal percentages. It remains to be seen who will pick up the slack in Durant’s absence but expect forward Joe Harris to get an extended run tonight. While they may be looking to just weather the storm in his absence, they’d love to compete against their division rivals. Boston ranks second in the league in scoring (118.6 PPG). Although the spread is small for such a thin roster, the Nets have a good chance to cover the spread tonight thanks to their stellar two-way play. Given his extensive injury history, the Celtics are playing him the least amount of minutes of his career. Boston enters tonight looking to fend off the hottest team in the Eastern Conference. Perhaps the biggest X-factor for Boston covering tonight is the continued acclimation of Malcolm Brogdon. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Nets covered 51% of their games while 58% went under. The Celtics covered 55% of their games while 53% went over the projected point total.

As Joe Mazzulla outlined ahead of the Celtics' 125-114 win against the Pelicans on Wednesday, the plan is for Robert Williams to only suit up for one end ...

Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and afterward. It also helps that the Celtics are getting Marcus Smart back. Williams got his first start of the 2022-23 campaign in Monday's

The Boston Celtics confirmed that Jaylen Brown suffered a groin injury against the Pelicans, making him questionable against the Nets.

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2) Nets forward Kevin Durant (right MCL) is expected to miss about a month of action per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. This means that Brooklyn will be without its ...

On the Mavericks’ side, Dorian Finney-Smith (adductor), Josh Green (elbow), Maxi Kleber (hamstring), and Dwight Powell (hip) are in the same boat. On the Lakers’ side, Davis (foot), Patrick Beverley (hip), Troy Brown Jr. Los Angeles may not be the better team on paper right now, but it will likely not have a better opportunity to beat Dallas this season. The Lakers are fresher and enter this matchup with momentum and homecourt advantage. Main takeaway: This could be the time to bet the underdog. (PST), followed by the [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.silverscreenandroll.com) hosting the [Dallas Mavericks](https://www.mavsmoneyball.com) at 7:00 p.m. [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.netsdaily.com) host the [Boston Celtics](https://www.celticsblog.com) at 4:30 p.m. [DraftKings Odds](https://dksb.sng.link/As9kz/0wps?_dl=https%3A%2F%2Fsportsbook.draftkings.com%2Fgateway%3Fs%3D347134020%26wpcid%3D229989%26wpcn%3DInarticle%26wpsrc%3DVox%26wpscn%3DNBA%26wpcrid%3DInarticle&pcid=229989&psn=Vox&pcn=Inarticle&pcrid=Inarticle&pscn=NBA) The Lakers have won five of their last six contests. Main takeaway: The smart money stays with Boston, here. This means that Brooklyn will be without its MVP candidate until around the NBA All-Star break. He has not missed a game since November 28 and has thus far been a sort of iron man for Boston.

The Celtics announced their injury report ahead of their Thursday-night contest against the Nets.

Kevin Durant remains out due to an MCL sprain, while big man Nic Claxton, who is among the league leaders in blocks, is probable to play with a shoulder issue. Smart was dealing with the remnants of a knee issue he suffered in Boston’s Meanwhile, both Marcus Smart and Robert Williams have been removed from the injury report. [Charlotte Hornets](https://www.atthehive.com/). He is listed as questionable due to left adductor tightness. Al Horford is out due to lower back stiffness.

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown revealed he suffered an injury Wednesday, and it might impact his status for Thursday against the Nets.

[missed two games](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/brownja02/gamelog/2023) this season. [has not played](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/horfoal01/gamelog/2023) in a back-to-back this season. “I tweaked my groin a little bit, so I was done,” Brown told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin following the contest.

Jaylen Brown is listed as questionable. Meanwhile, the Nets have ruled out Kevin Durant, while Nic Claxton, David Duke Jr. and Kessler Edwards have all been ...

Currently, the Nets are in the middle of a two-game winning streak and 13-5 in the 18 games they have hosted at Barclays Center. They are in the middle of a four-game winning streak and are 7-3 in their last ten games. The Celtics come into the night as the first seed in the Eastern Conference (and the best team in the NBA) with a 30-12 record in 42 games.

SportsLine's computer model simulated Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets and revealed its best NBA picks today.

- Celtics vs. The Nets are in the top four in field goal percentage allowed (45.2%) and assists allowed (22.8 per game), with Brooklyn landing in the top 10 in allowing only 48.0 points in the paint per game. [Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Celtics vs. On offense, the Nets are scoring nearly 1.16 points per possession and leading the NBA in field goal percentage and true shooting percentage. The Nets are allowing only 111.5 points per 100 possessions, a top-10 mark in the NBA, and Brooklyn leads the league in blocked shots (7.0 per game) and 2-point shooting allowed (50.3%). Nets](https://www.sportsline.com/nba/game-forecast/NBA_20230112_BOS@BKN/) and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. On defense, Boston yields only 1.11 points per possession, and the Celtics lead the league in free throw prevention and assists allowed. Here are several [NBA odds](https://www.sportsline.com/nba/odds/futures/) and betting lines for Nets vs. [NBA picks](https://www.sportsline.com/nba/picks/) over the past four-plus seasons. [NBA](/nba/) predictions with the Nets vs. You can [head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks](https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/celtics-vs-nets-line-picks-advanced-computer-nba-model-releases-selections-for-thursday-showdown/#ttag=01122023_agg_cbssports_picks_basketball_nba_model_celticsnets). The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 226 in the latest Celtics vs.

NEW YORK -- Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown will miss Thursday night's game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn against the Nets with a right adductor strain, and could miss "a week or two," per Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla.

"I know he tried to give it a go today and wasn't able to do it. "I'm not sure what the timeline is," Mazzulla said. [Boston Celtics](/nba/team/_/name/bos/boston-celtics) star [Jaylen Brown](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3917376/jaylen-brown) will miss Thursday night's game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn against the Nets with a right adductor strain, and he could miss "a week or two," per Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla.

The Celtics visit their division rivals, the Brooklyn Nets, for the 2nd of 4 games this season.

Be Aggressive - The Celtics have to come out and be aggressive right from the opening tip. If the calls are bad, they just need to play harder to make up for them and not waste time arguing with the officials. I have no doubt that the Nets are going to play their best game to try to embarrass the Celtics. The Nets are very well rested while the Celtics will need to fight fatigue down the stretch. The Celtics are playing in the second of back to back games. They have to box out and crash the boards as a team. The Nets, however are right there with them at 9th in the league the league with a defensive rating of 111.5. Kyrie still has a chip on his shoulder against the Celtics and will try his best to beat them. They are 6-0 so far in the second of back to back games. Marcus Smart (knee) and Robert Williams (knee) missed the game against the Pelicans but are not on today’s injury list and should be in the starting lineup. The Bucks are 2.5 games back and The Celtics also swept the Nets in last year’s playoff 4-0.

It seems like the big matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics may be a little bit more even-sided. It's been revealed that Jaylen Brown has now ...

The Celtics are only two games above the Nets for the first seed in the eastern conference and a win would put Brooklyn only one game away. That game was on December 4, and since that moment, the Brooklyn Nets have improved to become a great team. Boston is still missing quite a few more pieces in Danilo Gallinari and Al Horford though.

Boston does return Robert Williams III (left knee injury rehabilitation), who sat out Wednesday's game for precautionary reasons. Marcus Smart also makes his ...

The Nets will play their first game without Kevin Durant as he suffered a knee injury last Sunday. He was crucial in the Celtics extending their winning streak to four games as Brown enjoys a career-best season. NEW YORK — The Celtics will be shorthanded when they take on the Nets as Jaylen Brown was downgraded to out because of adductor tightness.

The Boston star tweaked his groin late in the team's Wednesday night win over the Pels.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla says Brown could be out multiple games.

Halfway through the NBA season, Brown is averaging a career-high 27.2 points and making nearly half (49.8%) of his shots from the field. The game matches the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. He scored a season-high 41 points in a win against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.

Jaylen Brown was ruled out for Thursday's game against the Nets and could be out for at least a week.

In the latest round of All-Star Game fan voting released on Thursday, Tatum (3,281,124 votes) moved ahead of 76ers big man Joel Embiid (3,248,733) for third among Eastern Conference front-court players. The next fan voting update is on Jan. Robert Williams III (left knee injury rehabilitation) was back in the lineup after sitting out Wednesday’s game for precautionary reasons. The Celtics were also without Al Horford, as he doesn’t play the second game of back-to-backs. Brown put up a season-high 41 points in arguably his best game of the season as he continuously put pressure on the Pelicans. Brown said after Wednesday’s win over the Pelicans that he tweaked his groin, which is why he was initially questionable on the injury report.

Celtics interim coach Joe Mazzulla shared an injury update on Jaylen Brown, who was ruled out for Thursday night's game vs. the Nets.

He's a big reason Boston has the league's best record at 30-12. "He's sore," Mazzulla said. After his 41-point performance, Brown revealed the injury to NBC Sports Boston's Abby Chin and said he would get it looked at.

Jaylen Brown scored a season-high 41 points and had 12 rebounds and the Boston Celtics won their fourth straight game, holding off the New Orleans Pelicans ...

Celtics: This was the 19th time Tatum and Brown have both had 30 or more points in a game. .. Brown had 18 points and 10 rebounds in the first half. "What we did last year and what they did last year leading us to the Finals, it shows a lot of growth on their end... … Dropped to 8-12 on the road. They played without Zion Williamson for the fifth consecutive game as he continues to deal with a strained right hamstring. It was the fifth career 40-point game for Brown.

The Celtics' deep backcourt helped to pick up the slack with Brown out. Derrick White was the catalyst with 12 points in the first half, including three ...

Simmons ended up with a goose egg in the scoring column as he missed all three of his shots. He reached that mark late in the third quarter and blew past it in the fourth to finish with 29 minutes. He also remained a force on the offensive glass with three offensive rebounds. He didn't get the triple-double, but it was an admirable effort as he tallied 16 points with a team-high 10 assists and six rebounds. [Malcolm Brogdon](https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/malcolm-brogdon?b) had another strong night with 16 points off the bench. The 7-foot-2 big man stepped up in Horford's absence and hit all five of his shots, including a 3 and this fancy reverse finish that caught himself off guard. His presence was felt on the defensive end as he notched seven rebounds, a steal, and this emphatic block to go with his 15 points. Veteran big man [Al Horford](https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/al-horford?b) also was out on the second night of a back-to-back, and Brooklyn was short-handed with superstar Kevin Durant (MCL sprain) still sidelined. Marcus Smart also was a difference-maker in his return to the lineup. Derrick White was the catalyst with 12 points in the first half, including three 3-pointers. Warren chipped in 20 off the bench, and Ben Simmons had 13 assists and nine rebounds but did not score a point on only three field goal attempts. There were 11 lead changes before Boston took control in the fourth quarter and escaped Barclays Center with an 11-point victory.

Jayson Tatum had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Brooklyn 109-98 on Thursday night in the Nets' ...

Fred VanVleet scored 11 points and Precious Achiuwa had 10 points and a career-best five steals. Jrue Holiday had 24 points and 11 assists for the Bucks, who were without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Grayson Allen, Khris Middleton, Serge Ibaka and Joe Ingles. scored 19 points and O.G. Max Strus had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Miami (23-20), which moved a season-best three games over .500, even with starters Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin sidelined. T.J Warren added 20 and Joe Harris, starting for Durant, had 18. Brown had right adductor tightness, a night after scoring a season-high 41 points in a victory over New Orleans.

Jayson Tatum had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Brooklyn 109-98.

Brogdon and Pritchard each had two baskets early in the fourth, when the Nets missed six of their first seven shots. Durant is the leader among East frontcourt players and Irving is tops among guards. T.J Warren added 20 and Joe Harris, starting for Durant, had 18. Marcus Smart added 16 points and 10 assists for the Celtics, who played without Jaylen Brown because of an injury. Interim coach Joe Mazzulla said Brown could miss a week or more. Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during basketball season.

Marcus Smart: "Payton (Pritchard) and Malcolm (Brogdon), those two and that group, with Sam (Hauser) and those two in, really changed the game for us."

That group helped Boston swing momentum to the visitors, including being at the center of an 8-0 run, featuring four-straight Celtics points by White, including a three off a feed from Brogdon. He and Grant Williams each led the visitors with six points in the frame. The Celtics have often gotten off to a slow start after halftime. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post. But while the Nets controlled the pace, dictating a slow tempo for much of the frame, Brogdon helped change that. [This Insane Stat Shows Just How Dominant Celtics Have Been so Far This Season](https://www.si.com/nba/celtics/top-stories/this-insane-stat-shows-just-how-dominant-celtics-have-been-so-far-this-season) [Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. His second field goal gave the visitors their largest lead, 92-84. Producing seven points in each quarter despite struggling to find his rhythm from long range speaks to his stardom. Warren layup, then drew a charge against Yuta Watanabe. 9 trade deadline on the horizon. Warren contributed seven off the bench. Simmons didn't attempt a field goal, but he did distribute seven assists.

Jayson Tatum had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Brooklyn 109-98 on Thursday night in the Nets' ...

Here are the takeaways as the Celtics defeated the Nets in a hard-fought win, despite missing both Jaylen Brown and Al Horford on Thursday.

In addition to their own win over the Nets, the Celtics got some help as the Thunder beat the Sixers, and the Heat beat the Bucks (the Cavaliers trailed the Blazers at halftime). Leading by six, Tatum drove to the hoop and tossed up a finger roll. Kornet was facing away from the basket, and he caught the ball awkwardly (and probably above the cylinder). Late in the third, Tatum checked out with the Celtics trailing 80-78. The Nets benefitted from a relatively obvious goal-tending call, which officials missed in the third quarter. It’s hard to quantify exactly how much White brings to the Celtics, but his wide-ranging game was on full display against the Nets. Whenever the Celtics go through a tough stretch, they find a way to shake it off. By the time Tatum returned, the Celtics had an eight-point lead, which ballooned to 12 shortly afterward. The Celtics didn’t miss him too much at the start of the year when they were unsustainably hot from 3-point range, but having him now that they have cooled off is important. And still, the Celtics pulled away in the second half and won by double digits. With Horford sidelined, Robert Williams got the start and played a season-high 29 minutes. The Celtics were without both Jaylen Brown and Al Horford.

When the Celtics took control of a 109-98 win against the Nets, all five of last season's starters were out of the lineup.

“To have a great team you’ve got to have guys that have the humility to know when it’s their time to step up and when it’s their time not to. [Jayson Tatum](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/jayson-tatum-3O7MInr4zV5KKhZ5/), [Robert Williams](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/robert-williams-LEhMNrHYNoFDLqTs/) and [Marcus Smart](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/marcus-smart-dGLlEXUh7pIPWXUa/) were all suited up but on the bench. With Durant looking at an extended absence and the [Bucks](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/bucks/) mired in a rocky stretch, the Celtics could have a chance to rebuild a little cushion in the Eastern Conference standings if they can overcome Brown’s injury and/or get him back soon. [Derrick White](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/derrick-white-btl33fruaaNWhIrW/), [Grant Williams](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/grant-williams-ZKR4PurwehHcDFw2/) and [Luke Kornet](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/luke-kornet-6YC84bgvnT3yRZus/). The Celtics didn’t have the benefit of that in Brooklyn. Afterward, Mazzulla joked his “only regret” was declining to call a timeout when the Celtics fell behind 74-70 late in the third quarter. [Jaylen Brown](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/jaylen-brown-EAiBkBxmqCrObLg7/), a late addition to the injury report with a strained adductor, and [Al Horford](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/al-horford-1bdxkLwov50QIyiQ/), who hasn’t played in the second leg of a back-to-back all season, were wearing street clothes. Warren](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/tj-warren-te6am5kOZ0yFvULt/) shot at the rim. [Malcolm Brogdon](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/malcolm-brogdon-nZL21j2daIE6nIpI/) and [Payton Pritchard](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/payton-pritchard-GzXEX2vCKpnRkK1M/) looked at each other and determined how they would change the game. First Brogdon beat [Nic Claxton](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/nic-claxton-47D5hSormvUQWaZj/) to the rim for a layup. They wanted to hit the [Nets](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/nets/) with a burst of energy. “When we’re in there, a lot of us can put it on the ground and make a play, touch the paint, kick out, get to the rim,” Pritchard said.

Marcus Smart's dimes, Derrick White denying T.J. Warren at the rim, and White delivering the knockout blow headline the breakdown of how the top five plays ...

Boston's floor general snaps a behind-the-back bounce pass to Tatum, and he swings the ball to White for a corner three that was the knockout blow in the Celtics' 109-98 win. As the latter goes by Kornet and nears the paint, he has to be thinking this is an easy basket. Warren, not straight up in the air. Tatum then launches his shot early to beat a rotating Nic Claxton. Smart gets Simmons to flip his hips, then rams his shoulder into Simmons. Marcus Smart's dimes, Derrick White denying T.J.

The Brooklyn Nets are officially 0-1 with Kevin Durant on the mend. "One less guy to get open," said Ben Simmons about playing without Durant.

Though the Nets got great production out of Simmons for the first three-quarters, his absence as a scorer was felt tenfold in the fourth. Things got fun at the end of the quarter when Irving and Tatum got into a little bit of a shootout. “A lot of times with Kevin back there they would cover for each other whether Nic was guarding the perimeter, Kevin was still at the rim or vice versa. A crucial point in the quarter came at the very end when Kyrie Irving sat; Ben Simmons created 5 unanswered points in transition off a hit-ahead pass to Yuta Watanabe and a diagonal pass to Joe Harris for three. Even against a shorthanded Boston team, the Nets' biggest structural issues were on full display because of that reduced margin. Boston grew that advantage to 10 points as the Nets’ offense stalled. At just under the 10-minute mark, he turned over the ball against a double-team from the Celtics near midcourt, which immediately turned into two points for Boston. Warren also was a nice spark off the bench with 20 points on 9-of-18 shooting, his second-highest scoring night of the season. I know I need to get to the rim. Boston outscored Brooklyn in the painted area, 54-40, and outrebounded the Nets, 48-31. I think he had some looks that he, I’ve seen him make before so totally trust his ability to make shots for us but make the right decision at the end of the game also.” “Marcus Smart’s a pretty good defender and they’ve got guys at the rim when Ky got to the rim.