Key Moment
When Boston pulled ahead 51-23 at the 7:23 mark of the second quarter of Friday’s matchup with Brooklyn, it was unfathomable to consider the possibility of a Celtics loss. But here we are. Sometimes things just don’t go as planned.
They certainly didn’t for Boston over the final 31-plus minutes of the game, as Brooklyn methodically chipped away at its deficit. The Nets tied the game at 70-70 at the 6:45 mark of the third quarter, and then took a lead seconds later at the 6:11 mark. Brooklyn played from ahead for the remainder of the night before completing a shocking 115-105 victory.
The Nets began to build momentum immediately after Boston pulled ahead by 28. They responded with a 9-0 run to slice the lead down to 19, and they extended that run to 32-13 over the final 7:11 of the half. Boston led by just nine at the break.
Brooklyn didn’t slow down the rest of the night. It continued to shoot the lights out while the C’s went ice cold, and eventually pulled ahead by as many as 16 points.
Key Player
Jaylen Brown bounced back from an off night Wednesday to pile up his 17th 30-point game of the season Friday night against Brooklyn. Brown led the Celtics with 35 points, which more than doubled his 16 points Wednesday against Cleveland.
Big scoring nights typically require a strong night at the free-throw line. Brown, however, compiled nearly all of his scoring from the field. He shot 15-for-27 from the field while scoring only two points from the charity stripe.
Brown also tied three other players for the game high in steals with three, while adding in five rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot.
Box Score Nuggets
- Boston outscored Brooklyn 60-42 in the paint.
- Jaylen Brown led the game in field goal makes with 15, and he also led the Celtics in scoring with 35 points.
- Jayson Tatum led the game in rebounds with 13.
- The teams were nearly identical in rebounding and assists; Boston won the rebounding battle 48-47, and the assist battle 26-25.
- Mikal Bridges led the game with 38 points.
- Brooklyn made one more free throw (21) than Boston attempted (20).
- The two point guards, Marcus Smart and Spencer Dinwiddie, led the game in assists with eight apiece.
- Each team led by at least 16 points during the game.
- The C's coughed up 19 turnovers.
Quote of the Night
"That's human nature. You have to battle human nature, and if you want to separate yourselves, (it's) the teams that don't fall into that trap. But I'm not going to overreact to that. It happens in the NBA."
- Joe Mazzulla on the loss