{"id":148237,"date":"2026-02-28T10:05:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T10:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/148237\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T10:05:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T10:05:20","slug":"brooklyn-nets-get-shot-apart-by-boston-celtics-lose-148-111-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/148237\/","title":{"rendered":"Brooklyn Nets get shot apart by Boston Celtics, lose 148-111"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the Brooklyn Nets first played the Boston Celtics this season, I wrote about<\/a> how both teams were at or near the same competitive skill level. After all, it was way back in late November and Boston was a mediocre 7-7. They sat just two spots ahead in of Brooklyn in the East, and were still looking to find rhythm with a newly reconstructed roster.<\/p>\n

What a stupid, hilarious assertion.<\/p>\n

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In the time since, Brooklyn\u2019s been the Yin to Boston\u2019s Yang. They\u2019ve gone 13-31 while Boston\u2019s gone 30-13. The Celtics are now knocking on the postseason door for a 12th straight season, while the Nets are knocking on heaven\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, you just have to say it when you can.<\/p>\n

But tonight, the Nets certainly couldn\u2019t, not that I or anyone expected them to be able to. Brooklyn fell behind quickly in game no. 59. They turned it over three times in the contest\u2019s first three minutes. The Celtics did what they do, and have somehow continued to do for years even with significant roster turnover \u2014 beginning the game 6-6 from deep. For Brooklyn, it would only get worse defensively from beyond the arc, but more on that later.<\/p>\n

Josh Minott also played his first non-garbage time minutes in the first for the Nets. While Boston remained ahead during them, they gave us the only bit of basketball we could celebrate tonight. Early on, the 23-year-old put the athleticism that always made him an intriguing prospect on full display while creating for himself and others\u2026.<\/p>\n

Seconds after soaring past Hugo Gonz\u00e1lez for a jam on the break, he went over Nikola Vu\u010devi\u0107 and Day\u2019Ron Sharpe for two more just before the horn. Minott finished with nine points and two rebounds in 16 minutes of play while shooting 4-7 from the field.<\/p>\n

Following their new teammate\u2019s lead, Brooklyn kept attacking the paint in the first half, even as Boston continued to advertise the 3-pointer as a viable offensive weapon. The Nets outscored the Celtics inside 32-22 in the first half. They pushed to the cylinder anytime they could on the break and weren\u2019t bashful about attacking known rim-receptionist Vu\u010devi\u0107 in the halfcourt either.<\/p>\n

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And while the Celtics still led at halftime by a 66-57 margin, shooting 12-20 from deep by that point, Brooklyn seemed to be making progress. Just 24 hours removed from a game where they lost the turnover battle 15-8 and finished -10 in points off them, they were winning it 8-4 and with a +6 advantage through two vs Boston. They also put the Celtics at the line for just 11 first half shots after giving San Antonio 21 attempts in the first half last night.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, Boston started the second half 5-5 from the field, jumping up by two touchdowns less than three minutes into the third. The Boston three-party raged on in the process. The Celtics went 5-7 from deep in the period, hitting skip passes and leveraging around screens like a well-oiled machine they are.<\/p>\n

Between a quick five from Egor D\u00ebmin, who was scoreless in the first half, and Nolan Traor\u00e9 probing and creating, the Nets tried to hang around, but if they did, it was only by a coogi thread.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn went into the fourth down 109-83. Then, after the Celtics started a perfect 4-4 from the field again, they were down 117-83.<\/p>\n

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So, that meant extended garbage time, and a look at a Net with even less experience here than Minott. This morning, Brooklyn signed rookie Grant Nelson to a 10-day contract. The Alabama product checked in with 9:50 remaining. He ended up tallying three points, dishing four assists, and blocking two shots.<\/p>\n

That burn gave him 60 minutes played in three games in two leagues in three days. I think he\u2019ll sleep well tonight.<\/p>\n

Ben Saraf, who the Nets swapped in from Long Island with Drake Powell, also logged nine minutes down the stretch. His first few weren\u2019t as memorable as Nelson\u2019s, as he got called for an illegal screen just seconds after checking in. However, he did rebound, putting in seven points while shooting 3-3 from the field. Ochai Agbaji and Danny Wolf also combined for 15 points on 6-11 shooting in the fourth.<\/p>\n

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An honest man would remind you that all that production came against Boston\u2019s deep bench guys, but the ultimate beat down Boston delivered should be sobering enough on its own. The Celtics had a magnet ball that never lost its pull, even as Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard tested it with \u201cheat check\u201d heaves. Those two combined for 50 points on 18-24 shooting from the field and 8-9 from three. Pritchard finished as a +40 in 28 minutes.<\/p>\n

Even Ron Harper Jr., who\u2019s appeared in just 14 games and 11-42 from deep this year, dusted himself off, came in, and buried a three in the final two minutes. The Celtics collectively shot a ludicrous 22-34 from three.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter technique, better knowing who the personnel is,\u201d Fernandez said postgame. \u201cAnd obviously, you know we were not good enough. When you shoot 49% from the field, 40% from three, and you turn over 11 times, you should be able to give yourself a chance or fight. And it was like a really, really poor defensive game, probably the worst of the season, and I know we\u2019ve shown better. So there\u2019s something for me to fight for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fern\u00e1ndez often talks about wanting to see that \u201cfight\u201d from his players. It felt like he missed that tonight, and it\u2019s hard to argue otherwise.<\/p>\n

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\u201cYeah, it was a complete-on quit, when you lose by almost 40 points,\u201c he said. \u201dThey scored 82 points in one half of basketball. Obviously, give them credit because they\u2019re very good team, but we can be better than this.\u201c<\/p>\n

Final: Boston Celtics 148, Brooklyn Nets 111<\/p>\n

Milestone Watch<\/p>\n

Not much going on. Grant Nelson played three games in three days: with the Long Island Nets Wednesday and Thursday and tonight for Brooklyn. He played a little less than 50 minutes.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, over at Tankathon<\/a>, the Nets are still third in lottery chances, but they\u2019re now a half game out of second.<\/p>\n

Next Up\"\"<\/p>\n

The Nets will host the Cleveland Cavaliers for a third and final time this season at the Barclays Center on Sunday afternoon. Brooklyn hasn\u2019t beat the Cavs since their hold skipper Kenny Atkinson took over the team in in 2024. This one tips off at 3:30 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n

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