 |
| Kevin Garnett hasn't played against the Celtics since he was traded to Brooklyn this summer. That changes tonight. |
When: 7:30 PM; Tuesday, December 10th, 2013
Where: Barclays Center; Brooklyn, NY
TV: YES Network
Although the Nets and Celtics will be forever linked by a trade involving some of the most starpower seen in one deal in recent memory, the exchange has had stunningly variant effects for both teams.
The trade, which sent future Hall-of-Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, in addition to veteran Jason Terry, to the Nets for some 1st-rounds picks, MarShon Brooks, Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, and Keith Bogans, was supposed to make Brooklyn a title contender and Boston a cellar-dwelling rebuilder. However, it hasn't turned out exactly like that.
Thus far, roughly a quarter into the 2013-14 season, the Celtics are 10-12 and are sitting in 1st place in the Atlantic Division. Surprisingly, the Nets are 6-14 and 4th in the Atlantic, marking a strange and unexpected reversal of fortunes for the franchises forever changed by June's blockbuster.
Now the players involved in the transaction will be facing their former team, Pierce, KG (Terry is out with knee injury) and the group of former Nets, will face their old teams for the first time in the regular season. Pierce will be coming off the bench for the Nets as he returns from a hand injury, the first time he's started a game as a reserve since 2007 against the (then) New Jersey Nets (courtesy to TheBrooklynGame.com's Devin Kharpertian for the tidbit).
Emotions are sure to be involved in tonight's matchup, but Brooklyn's boys have to set them aside so their team can garner a much-needed home win against an Atlantic Division foe. The Nets need to string some wins together at this point in the season to come close to returning to .500, and a victory this evening against Boston would be a step in the right direction.
Probable Lineups
BOS- Avery Bradley (PG), Jordan Crawford (SG), Jeff Green (SF), Jared Sullinger (PF), Brandon Bass (C)
BKN- Deron Williams (PG), Joe Johnson (SG), Alan Anderson (SF), Kevin Garnett (PF), Brook Lopez (C)
Final Thoughts
Brooklyn needs to play a full 48-minute game, with no let-downs, in order to win this game against a scrappy, young Celtics team. With Deron Williams and Paul Pierce both returning from injury, they really should be able to get that done.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
