Two teams on the opposite ends of the Eastern Conference will tip-off tonight in Beantown. The Nets (0-3) are off to a predictably difficult start in 2026. Brooklyn, in the midst of a rebuild, has its eyes set on the future. It’s a different story for the Celtics (2-1), a club with title aspirations. Can Jayson Tatum lead a new-look Boston roster to its third win of the season?
The Celtics enter today’s matchup as 11.5-point favorites, with the total set at 222.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Below is my full preview, prediction and best bet for Tuesday’s Brooklyn vs. Boston contest.
Nets vs. Celtics prediction, preview
Currently winless, it’s difficult to muster up much excitement about this current iteration of the Nets. During the team’s most recent outing on Sunday, they got walloped 136-109 at home vs. Indiana. Unfortunately for Brooklyn fans, there’s going to be a whole lot more losing before things get better. With that being said, this group does have a few names capable of taking a game over. Offseason pickup Julius Randle has plenty of experience with Boston, dating back to his time with the Knicks. The power forward is averaging 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game this season. Elsewhere on the roster, Michael Porter Jr. ranks second on the Nets with 21.3 points per game on 46% shooting.
After Randle and MPJ, the rest of this team is anyone’s guess. No other Brooklyn players are averaging double-digit points this season, a sign of unproven depth. Keon Ellis has been a nice surprise, offering up solid play on both ends of the floor. Youngsters Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr. have been subpar out of the backcourt, still struggling to find their shooting form. As a unit, the Nets are knocking down 15.0 three-pointers per game, tied for sixth-most in the NBA. However, Brooklyn’s 41.7% field goal percentage is fourth-worst in the association.
A busy offseason that saw the Celtics trade away Jaylen Brown turned plenty of heads. However, Paul George has done a stellar job stepping into the former Finals MVP’s shoes. PG13 is putting up 23.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game to go with 46/50/83 shooting splits. If he comes close to those numbers over the course of a full season, the veteran would be an ideal co-star alongside Jayson Tatum. Following a disastrous season opener in Detroit, Boston’s face of the franchise has looked more like his old self. The six-time All-Star has scored a combined 59 points during wins over New York and Chicago. This Celtics squad ranks fifth in the NBA with a 119.1 offensive rating.
Boston displays impressive efficiency when it comes to scoring the ball. With that being said, the team is more than content slowing things down. Head coach Joe Mazzulla has his guys operating at the association’s fifth-slowest pace (99.1). Defensively, the Celtics are allowing the NBA’s eighth-fewest points per game (107.7). Keep in mind, this group ranked first in that category last season. New pickup Mitchell Robinson hasn’t been great so far, but the center provides much-needed rim protection as well.
Best Bet: Celtics -11.5 (-110)
The Nets are essentially a two-man show, depending heavily on Porter Jr. and Randle. You can get away with that against certain clubs, but not one of the NBA’s best. Boston’s stifling defense should frustrate Brooklyn tonight. On the other end of the floor, a three-point heavy Celtics offense could easily push this lead from comfortable to never in doubt. Back the C’s on Tuesday evening at home.
