On Friday night at TD Garden, the Brooklyn Nets faced the Boston Celtics, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, and suffered a heavy defeat by a final score of 148-111. Despite a solid individual performance from Josh Minott, the Nets dropped to 15-44 and matched their longest losing streak of the season at seven games. This game marked the second night of a back-to-back, with Brooklyn entering healthy and committed, but still overwhelmed by the Celtics’ relentless offense.
Brooklyn executed well in terms of ball control, committing only 11 turnovers and shooting an efficient 48.9% from the floor. However, the Celtics unleashed a devastating performance from beyond the arc, sinking 22 of 34 three-pointers and generating 39 assists on 52 made baskets, embodying the kind of superior play expected from a championship contender.
Nets Show Early Fight, Minott Impresses in Rotation Debut
Brooklyn started competitively after falling behind by five points, responding with a 7-0 run following a timeout sparked by Nolan Traoré’s driving play. Traoré penetrated the paint, drawing defensive attention and finding open shooters, forcing Boston to work early on defense. However, the Celtics remained unfazed, with Derrick White igniting the crowd by hitting back-to-back threes. Baylor Scheierman’s fifth successful three-pointer in five attempts pushed Boston back up by six, but the Nets stayed within striking distance thanks primarily to their offensive flow for the first quarter.
Josh Minott, in particular, stood out. After limited garbage-time minutes the previous night against the Spurs, Minott earned significant rotation time against his former team and made a strong impact. With less than a minute remaining in the first quarter, he dunked emphatically over Hugo Gonzalez on a fast break, energizing Brooklyn’s bench and reducing the gap to three points. Minott capped the quarter with another forced rebound put-back dunk just before the horn, ending the period with nine points and two rebounds in 16 minutes of meaningful play.
First Quarter Promise Fades as Celtics Explode with Three-Point Shooting
The Nets posted one of their more efficient opening quarters in recent games, scoring 32 points on 52% shooting, their highest first-quarter point total since early February. However, Boston’s hot shooting was even more remarkable. The Celtics began the night shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from deep and 70% overall in the quarter, finishing the frame ahead 35-32. Brooklyn’s missed opportunities at the free-throw line—making only two of five—and Boston’s offensive efficiency set the stage for a challenging night.
Brooklyn continued to take care of the ball, committing just four turnovers in the first half and matching Boston in made field goals. Nevertheless, the Celtics maintained their edge by nailing 12 three-pointers to Brooklyn’s six and benefiting from more efficient free-throw shooting. At halftime, Boston led 66-57 thanks to their high shooting percentage of 61.5%. Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting in the first half, eventually finishing with 18 points for the game. On Boston’s side, Jaylen Brown and Nikola Vucevic each scored 28 points, while Payton Pritchard contributed 22.
Celtics Extend Lead as Nets Struggle to Keep Pace
The third quarter marked a turning point as Boston began dominating. Brown opened the half by sinking the Celtics’ 13th three-pointer, extending the lead to 69-57 early on. By the nine-minute mark of the quarter, Boston’s lead stretched to 79-65. Despite Brooklyn’s persistent efforts, the deficit remained too large to overcome.
The Nets did mount a brief comeback attempt, closing the gap to six points following an 8-0 run initiated by a three-pointer from Egor Dëmin. Yet, Boston quickly responded by knocking down another three-pointer after the timeout, quashing Brooklyn’s momentum. Throughout the remainder of the third quarter, the Celtics continued to move the ball fluidly and found open looks, outscoring Brooklyn 43-26 to take a commanding 26-point advantage entering the final period.
The fourth quarter saw Brooklyn’s bench players, including Grant Nelson—who had signed a 10-day contract earlier that afternoon—alongside Danny Wolf, Ben Saraf, Jalen Wilson, and Ochai Agbaji, gain some garbage-time minutes, but there was no threat of a Nets comeback.
Nets Look Ahead to Home Game Against Cavaliers
Brooklyn will return to their home court at Barclays Center on Sunday to face the Cleveland Cavaliers, seeking to halt their seven-game losing streak. Their last match against Cleveland had resulted in a 112-84 defeat at the Rocket Arena in mid-February. The team will be hoping to build on Josh Minott’s encouraging performance and improve cohesion as they aim to avoid extending their disappointing skid. The clash against the Cavaliers offers an opportunity for the Nets to regroup and demonstrate more competitive play.
