Jayson Tatum's 30 Pace Celtics in 23-Point Rout over Short-Handed Nets
Coming out of the NBA All-Star break, the Boston Celtics returned to action with a 129-106 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Thursday.
The week off couldn't have come at a better time for the Nets, who needed to reset after dropping 12 of their previous 14 games. The Celtics, on the other hand, were riding a nine-game winning streak before a surprising loss to the Detroit Pistons.
For both teams, it was a case of that form carrying over. Boston shot 54.1 percent from the floor, and Brooklyn had little counter without its top stars playing.
The Celtics were up 35-22 at the end of the first quarter and didn't look back from there. They led by as many as 29 points.
Notable Performers
Jayson Tatum, SF, Celtics: 30 points, seven rebounds, four assists, one steal
Jaylen Brown, SG, Celtics: 18 points, one rebound, six assists, one steal, one block
Seth Curry, SG, Nets: 22 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal
Bruce Brown, SF, Nets: 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals
Celtics' Hot Steak Continues
If you missed the game live, this pretty much sums up how the night unfolded.
Neither Jayson Tatum nor Jaylen Brown had a signature performance because they didn't really need to.
Seven different players scored in double figures for Boston. The offensive balance was due in part to the team's steady ball movement. This unit is unrecognizable from the one whose issues led Marcus Smart to call out Tatum and Brown
Especially after jumping ahead so big in the first quarter, Boston could've taken its foot off the gas and coasted. Instead, the Celtics hit the accelerator in the second half. They smothered the Nets on defense and looked to score quickly in transition.
The Eastern Conference is there for the taking. The Nets have been a mess. The Milwaukee Bucks aren't hitting the level they did a year ago. The Philadelphia 76ers are still an unknown quantity with Joel Embiid and James Harden playing together.
Right now, the Celtics deserve to be in the conversation about the East's best team.
Short-handed Nets Can't Keep Pace
The Nets were without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on Thursday night, and it's still unclear when Ben Simmons will be able to make his Brooklyn debut. Especially with the Celtics playing as they were before the All-Star break, Steve Nash's squad was at a clear disadvantage in terms of firepower.
Bruce Brown has become a key role player for Brooklyn, but it's probably not a good sign when he's the leading scorer at halftime.
Seth Curry, who averaged 18.3 points in his first three games with his new team, at least continues to show why he could be a big difference-maker in the second half.
For the Nets, there aren't many conclusions to draw because the lineup could look significantly different in a few weeks.
Of course, Brooklyn only needs to look to the 2020-21 Los Angeles Lakers to see how a sluggish regular season can prove costly come playoff time. Theoretically this team should be great when everybody is healthy, but it may not be as simple as flipping a switch and running through the East in the postseason.
What's Next?
The Nets hit the road to play the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. The Celtics head to the Motor City on Saturday to play the Pistons in the second leg of their three-game road trip.
