Three things to look for as Celtics host Nets

Sound the alarm. The Celtics, taking part in with out Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis, misplaced to Steph Curry and the 7-1 Warriors. Time to panic.

However significantly, the easiest way to maneuver ahead after a troublesome loss is by, properly, shifting ahead. The Celtics (7-2) will get an opportunity to bounce again once they host the sneakily stable Nets (4-4) on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

The sport could not carry fairly the identical pizzazz because the one earlier than it, however the Nets are not any joke. They’re presently tied for third within the Japanese Convention and play a quick, fearless type of basketball.

Listed below are three issues to search for as they conflict in an Atlantic Division showdown.

Can Jayson Tatum preserve it rolling?

The season is barely 9 video games in, however Tatum has very a lot regarded the a part of a reliable Most Precious Participant candidate thus far.

He’s averaging 30.2 factors, 7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per sport and has scored 28-plus on all however one event up to now.

One factor I’ve seen recently is how properly the Celtics make the most of Tatum within the excessive pick-and-roll. They’ll let him function simply in entrance of half courtroom, set a display and power the protection to change. When Tatum has a guard on him, he makes use of his power. When he has an enormous on him, he makes use of his velocity. When the double comes, he makes the correct learn.

It’s easy basketball, however it’s efficient, largely as a result of Tatum’s decision-making has been elite. He’s working in a LeBron James-like position, the place he’s on the hub and the whole lot revolves round him. It’s working, and there’s no motive to tweak it for the time being.

Is Neemias Queta turning into a fan favourite?

Just a few years in the past, just a few diehard NBA followers outdoors of Sacramento knew of Neemias Queta. Final yr, he turned an intriguing identify in Celtics circles. This season, he’s on the verge of blossoming right into a fan favourite in Boston.

Queta, who offered 14 factors, 8 rebounds and a couple of blocks in 28 minutes Wednesday, is figuring it out sport by sport. He’s not fairly Robert Williams III but, however he does have some Williams-like tendencies and traits.

The subsequent step for him is bettering his ending on the rim, and meaning sprucing his 3-to-5-footer. If he turns into a severe risk to attain on extra than simply lobs, be careful. It’s clear he’s earned head coach Joe Mazzulla’s belief within the brief time period and grow to be a undertaking long run.

Can they include Cam Thomas and Dennis Schröder?

If you happen to thought you have been lastly performed watching Dennis Schröder for some time as soon as the Olympics have been over, I remorse to tell you that he’s now on the Brooklyn Nets.

And sure, he’s taking part in properly. Very properly, really. Schröder is averaging 19.9 factors and seven.3 assists and has earned minutes over Ben Simmons (sorry, I’ll go away Simmons out of this).

Schröder is the sort of participant who thrives when he has freedom, and that’s what he has in Brooklyn. With Cam Thomas (24.9 factors per sport) and Cameron Johnson (16.6 PPG) as sidekicks, Schröder helps the Nets push the tempo.

They’re the sort of group that you simply assume you’re going to wallop, you then search for and it’s a six-point sport with two minutes left. It’s very doable the Celtics win by 30, however it’s in all probability extra probably that the plucky Nets dangle round earlier than the Celtics finally prevail.