Rapid Recap is designed for the busiest of Celtics fans. Whether you can’t stay awake to read 10 paragraphs or your hangover is just too much, Rapid Recap tells the timeline of the game in only a minute or two.
Encores are tough! And the Boston Celtics weren’t prepared to play theirs against the same Brooklyn Nets team they smacked two nights ago, albeit this time at noon on Black Friday. (This is not historically a time in which good basketball is played by anyone.)
Though Jayson Tatum had an exceptional offensive game (26 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals), he was part of the Celtics’ team-wide lackadaisical defense. Kemba Walker having a ho-hum game (for him; 17-5-6 on wretched 32% shooting) certainly didn’t help, especially as his counterpart Spencer Dinwiddie was running absolutely wild en route to 32 points and a Brooklyn win, 107-102.
Boston looked hung over on both ends, surrendering 12 points in 2.5 minutes as the Nets fired relentlessly from beyond the arc:
This defensive effort is just not going to work. Dinwiddie just casually strolls wherever he wants. Allen barely has to set the pick. Theis has no choice but to protect against the drive. No one helps him out. Easy alley oop. pic.twitter.com/1FlsCfeWvn
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) November 29, 2019
12-4 Nets 2:31 in. Timeout Celtics. Brooklyn continuing to let it fly from behind the arc as they are 2-3 already.
Nets are also continuing to run middle PnR, which Boston struggled to defend on Wednesday. Keep an eye on that.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 29, 2019
Boston’s effort intensified after the first timeout and Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Brad Wanamaker and Javonte Green all had some nice moments. However, Brooklyn forced mucho turnovers and stayed well ahead on a steady diet of paint points and threes.
Kemba Walker for THREE 🙌 pic.twitter.com/PpNAlclUwW
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) November 29, 2019
floating it up for 2️⃣ pic.twitter.com/CTScOvIjI6
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 29, 2019
Too much turkey for Tatum.
— Limp Brizzett (@ComradeHeinsohn) November 29, 2019
https://twitter.com/Riffs_Man/status/1200467668870057987?s=20
Wannamaker insanely good at the strip on driving players. Smarf-ian, even.
— Paul Mitchell (@PaulMitchellNBA) November 29, 2019
The team was frankly lucky to just be down eight (31-24) at Q1’s end. Celtics amped up their defense for Q2, holding the Nets to 3 points over more time than it took Brooklyn to score 12 in the first frame. But some issues persisted:
Also some sloppy defense. Bad beginning to the game for Tatum https://t.co/FY5GiluOeM
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) November 29, 2019
(He did bury a real nice pull-up three just a minute or two after that last turnover, but still.) Meanwhile, Kanter made the most of his minutes against DeAndre Jordan:
We see you @EnesKanter pic.twitter.com/GNsl0GKL3m
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 29, 2019
(That said, Kanter was basically useless if Jarrett Allen was playing.)
JT 👌💦 https://t.co/xG3q0B1zxR
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 29, 2019
SEMI 💪🔥 pic.twitter.com/3eXYrfE2Dt
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 29, 2019
Things became more even-keeled between the two squads later in the quarter, but it still felt like the latter wanted it more in this first half. You could even say that they wanted it more than their fans…
This is the third NBA arena I’ve been to but it’s pretty quite in here. There’s only one section that‘s leading the “Kyrie’s better”chants
— 𝕂𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕚 𝔸. 𝕃𝕦𝕟𝕚𝕤 (@KwaniALunis) November 29, 2019
Tatum decided to redeem himself, and did with a bunch of buckets in a hurry, including two consecutive deep triples. That, and increased effort overall, cut Brooklyn’s lead to 58-55 as the buzzer sounded to end the first half:
Tatum with 12 second quarter points on 4/5 from 3-point range. 18 for the half.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) November 29, 2019
https://twitter.com/maxacarlin/status/1200475635824648195?s=20
Nets had an 11 point lead… Gave up a quick Celtics 11-3 run before the half.
— Dart_Adams (@Dart_Adams) November 29, 2019
Honestly no one really did well during the frame’s initial stretch. Just a lot of odd stuff:
Why does Theis get yanked so soon? Watch him on this get stuck in no man's land. Doesn't impact Dinwiddie's shot at all, doesn't trap, isn't in position to rebound. pic.twitter.com/WaLqcGwnxP
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) November 29, 2019
Neither Atkinson nor Stevens is very happy with their defense right now. Both are letting guys have it.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 29, 2019
Wow, Jaylen Brown almost murdered Jarrett Allen with that dunk attempt and it would have been the greatest thing we've seen this year… #Celtics #Nets
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) November 29, 2019
Smart firing a last-second fastball at Kanter's face was probably not the best idea https://t.co/KqUTc1OWHj
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) November 29, 2019
Brooklyn held onto—then considerably extended—their lead. Boston almost took it back with an 11-0 run, in part motivated by reserve energy from SMARF, GRANT, Wanamaker and Robert Williams.
through contact 💪💪 pic.twitter.com/jB6C7rDvcD
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 29, 2019
https://twitter.com/maxacarlin/status/1200485542431010816?s=20
https://twitter.com/maxacarlin/status/1200486456621436929?s=20
Then Brooklyn punched back. It was pretty balanced for better and worse, with the home team ahead 87-81 at Q4’s start.
AND ONE 💪 pic.twitter.com/hOFkLdESyN
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 29, 2019
Brooklyn just kept canning triples, from sources sustainable (Dinwiddie, Harris) and surprising (Garrett Temple? Forreal?).
Dinwiddie is playing like an All Star right now. He's drilling 3's and all the C's attention on his shooting is opening up a ton of alley oops. C's defense has been complicit in this. They're not up on him at all
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) November 29, 2019
Also some odd lineup decisions:
https://twitter.com/SamSheehan/status/1200489625367851009?s=20
As the clock wound closer to the end, the Celtics had a lot of great defensive plays to draw close to a tie…and just enough boneheaded mistakes to seal their own fate.
Joe Harris fakes and finds Jarrett Allen late to secure the @BrooklynNets win! #WeGoHard pic.twitter.com/jVjt6r4vVh
— NBA (@NBA) November 29, 2019
it's not Celtics basketball unless the opposing guard scores 30+ so they stay on brand which is really all that is important
— Pipe of Destiny (@LuckysPipe) November 29, 2019
https://twitter.com/spartymoshow/status/1200495920728694784?s=20
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