Atlantic Division rivals on opposite trajectories meet on Friday night, as the Brooklyn Nets host the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center.
The Celtics (27–16, 2nd East) have won just four of their last eight games but are coming off Wednesday’s 15-point win over the Pacers in Boston. Meanwhile, the Nets (12–30, 13th East) have dropped eight of their last nine — punctuated by a 120–66 annihilation against the Knicks on Wednesday night at The Garden.
The squads split the first two games of the season series: the Celtics won in Brooklyn in mid-November, and the Nets pulled off an upset in Boston three days later.
Here’s a look at the Injury Report:
Boston Celtics
- Out: Derrick White (Rest), Josh Minott (Ankle), Jayson Tatum (Achilles)
- Questionable: Neemias Queta (Illness)
Brooklyn Nets
- Out: Haywood Highsmith (Knee), Ben Saraf (G-League Assignment)
Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Boston enters as an 8.5-point road favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Brooklyn sits as a +285 underdog. The game’s total is set at 216.5 points.
Celtics vs. Nets Preview
Boston Celtics Preview
The Celtics have scuffled a bit recently, batting .500 over their last eight games with a loss to the lowly Pacers on Jan. 12. However, they got their revenge against Indiana on Wednesday night and now roll into Brooklyn for another friendly matchup with the Nets.
While Boston will be without sharpshooter Derrick White and potentially starting big man Neemias Queta, the team has collectively embraced the “next man up” mentality this season — occupying the East’s second seed without Jayson Tatum.
Orchestrating Boston’s clean, methodical offense is Jaylen Brown, a recently-named All-Star starter who’s averaging a career-high 29.8 points with 6.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He’s flanked by several deadeyes — Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Anfernee Simons — who bolster a perimeter attack that knocks down the league’s second-most threes per game.
Brooklyn Nets Preview
Throughout December, the Nets posted a top-three net rating while boasting the NBA’s most formidable defense. However, their recent surge was seemingly nothing more than a brief holiday miracle — and they’ve since reverted to their classically brutal brand of basketball.
Brooklyn ranks near the bottom of the league on both ends of the floor, sporting a 25th-ranked net rating and averaging the NBA’s fewest points per game. All of the team’s fatal flaws were on full display Wednesday night against the Knicks, mustering just 66 points as New York set a record for the most lopsided victory in franchise history (54 points).
Michael Porter Jr. has enjoyed a career-best season, averaging 25.3 points and 7.4 assists per game. But that’s just about Brooklyn’s only silver lining at this point in the season, save for some potential in its young core.
Celtics vs. Nets Pick, Best Bet
While the Celtics will be missing several key starters, they’ll still have more than enough firepower to contend with New York City’s JV squad. Count on Jaylen Brown and Boston’s many sharpshooters to run up the score on Friday night.
