What’s up with the Boston Celtics?
The Boston Celtics have only lost five games this season, the latest of which came at the hands of a determined Miami Heat. It wasn’t even a convincing loss. Jaylen Brown had a monster game with 37 points, but Boston just fell short in overtime.
Despite the loss, the Celtics still hold the league’s best win-loss record at 18-5. Jayson Tatum is making a run for that MVP trophy. Brown is a legit All-Star. Robert Williams III is about to make a comeback later this month.
The defending Eastern Conference champs aren’t going anywhere.
What’s up with the Brooklyn Nets?
While the Celtics are a breathing, working machine already looking forward to yet another deep playoff run, the Brooklyn Nets are still tinkering with tools they don’t know how to use. Their record stands at 13-11, which could have been way worse if not for Kyrie Irving’s return.
Irving has played in Brooklyn’s last eight games, getting Ws in six of them. Kevin Durant can now rest easy knowing he doesn’t have to do all the scoring. The return of Irving has also opened up the floor for guys like Nic Claxton, Royce O’Neal, and Joe Harris.
Right smack in the middle of a seven-game homestand, the Nets have won four straight already. Still, nothing is sure in Brooklyn, and the lurking drama is what makes them a team to watch.
Storyline to watch out for
These two teams obviously have a lot of history. The question is, how will this version of Irving navigate a matchup against a Celtics team on a mission? Each time the enigmatic point guard suits up versus his former team, it’s going to be entertaining.
Also, here’s a fun stat: there are two dynamic duos with the most 25-plus point games in the same game so far this season:
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown with 12; and Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving with seven.
Prediction
The game result will no doubt depend on the Tatum-Brown versus Durant-Irving performance. The Nets will miss the services of Ben Simmons, but the Celtics will likely play without Marcus Smart.
Prediction? A back-and-forth shootout that will come down to clutch moments and big-time plays.
