Halftime Sizzling Takes: The Celtics appear to care about this recreation towards Brooklyn simply as a lot as the remainder of us

By two quarters, the primary Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets assembly of the season hasn’t panned out the best way many would’ve anticipated. The Nets led for your complete half however Boston managed to chop it down to only two earlier than the halftime buzzer.

Now, prepare for some Halftime Sizzling Takes, buddy.

Picture by Streeter Lecka/Getty Photos

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I’ve seen higher begins

Pay attention, I perceive that it isn’t fairly as simple to stand up for a recreation towards the Nets in comparison with one towards the Golden State Warriors. However falling behind 12-0 to a staff that, earlier than the season, was a high contender to land Cooper Flagg (who I hear really isn’t that good, it will be a attain if anybody picked him earlier than, let’s say, choose 30), is unacceptable.

Brooklyn is a staff that’s constructed an identification for itself by enjoying gritty basketball. Giving them confidence proper off the rip isn’t going to make the evening a straightforward one.

If I needed to pinpoint the difficulty, I might say it has one thing to do with sporting “assertion version” black jerseys at dwelling, as a substitute of conventional dwelling whites.

I’ve to present credit score the place credit score is due, although. The Celtics reduce the Nets’ result in simply 4 by the top of the primary quarter. That’s a championship stage response.

Jayson Tatum might need Corridor-of-Fame “Nook Specialist”

A big a part of Boston’s first-quarter push was Jayson Tatum’s 11 early factors. Of these 11 factors, 9 got here off of catch-and-shoot threes from the left nook. All three of the makes have been tremendous clear seems, and JT didn’t even should work for them.

The extra threes we see Tatum take off of the catch, the higher (although the numbers this 12 months would let you know in any other case). These are photographs that sometimes will come inside the circulation of an offensive possession, somewhat than having to be created by the person himself.

Nearly anybody who has watched the Cs will let you know that they’re at their finest when the ball is popping round, somewhat than when it’s sticking.

Final season, it was fairly uncommon to see Tatum getting seems from deep except it was off of the dribble. This 12 months, it appears like Joe Mazzulla has made it an emphasis to have him enjoying with out the ball on some possessions.

The Nets should not a tanking staff

This is not essentially a take that’s particular to this single half of basketball, nevertheless it’s clear that the Nets should not a staff in tank mode. They got here into Friday’s recreation with a report of 4-4 and it’s not a thriller to why.

Have they got a ton of top-end expertise?

No.

However these guys play laborious.

They’ve placed on one of many higher defensive shows towards the Cs to date this season, holding them to only 49 factors on the break.

On high of that, they prompted a number of tie-ups, after diving on the ground after unfastened balls.

This was a big-time “earn my respect” half from them, for positive.