Halftime Hot Takes: The Celtics seem to care about this game against Brooklyn just as much as the rest of us

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

Now, prepare for some Halftime Scorching Takes, buddy.

I’ve seen higher begins

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

Brooklyn is a crew 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 simple one.

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

I’ve to offer credit score the place credit score is due, although. The Celtics lower 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 need to work for them.

The extra threes we see Tatum take off of the catch, the higher (although the numbers this yr would inform you in any other case). These are pictures that usually will come inside the circulate of an offensive possession, fairly than having to be created by the person himself.

Nearly anybody who has watched the Cs will inform you that they’re at their finest when the ball is popping round, fairly 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 yr, it seems like Joe Mazzulla has made it an emphasis to have him enjoying with out the ball on some possessions.

The Nets aren’t a tanking crew

This is not essentially a take that’s particular to this single half of basketball, however it’s clear that the Nets aren’t a crew in tank mode. They got here into Friday’s sport 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 precipitated a number of tie-ups, after diving on the ground after free balls.

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