Celtics-Nets Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Apr 14 2012 12:25AM

A good way for the Boston Celtics to bounce back from a frustrating defeat might be paying a visit to the New Jersey Nets.

Entering the middle contest of three games in three days, the Celtics hope to get back on track and continue their recent success over the Nets on Saturday night.

Boston (34-25) had won four in a row against Indiana, Philadelphia, Miami and Atlanta - all either playoff-bound or contenders in the Eastern Conference - before shooting 37.5 percent in Friday's 84-79 road loss to a Toronto team out of the postseason hunt.

Playing their first of back-to-back-to-back road games and second straight contest without injured guard Ray Allen (sore ankle), the Atlantic Division-leading Celtics could not overcome a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit. Paul Pierce scored 18 points while Kevin Garnett added 13 points and 10 rebounds for Boston, which is fourth in the East, and three games ahead of New York and Philadelphia atop the Atlantic.

"Right now we have a lot to play for, we are playing for playoff positioning and that has to be the mindset regardless of who steps on the court," Pierce said. "So with the possibility of moving up to the three seed these are must-win games for us.

"It's crazy because we have three games in a row. We should have come out with better urgency (in the second half)."

Garnett has totaled 34 points and 22 rebounds while shooting 16 of 20 to help the Celtics win both of their previous meetings with New Jersey (22-38) this season by a combined 32 points to improve to 17-2 in the last 19 games in this series.

However, both matchups this season came in Boston. New Jersey snapped a nine-game home skid to the Celtics with an 88-79 win March 14, 2011, Boston's last visit.

The Nets have four home games remaining before they say goodbye to the Prudential Center and head to their new home in Brooklyn next season. The NBA's Board of Governors approved the relocation Friday.

"I know we're all looking forward to being a part of Brooklyn and being a part of that project," coach Avery Johnson said. "I think it's going to help. We're the only team that's in transition like we are. There's a lot of energy and anticipation of us moving there."

New Jersey is a dismal 9-20 at home, but improved to 13-18 on the road with a 95-89 victory at Philadelphia on Friday. Gerald Green scored a team-high 23 points off the bench, MarShon Brooks had 22 and Kris Humphries added 18 points with 13 rebounds as the Nets prevailed by outscoring the 76ers 32-23 in the fourth quarter.

"No feeling sorry for ourselves," Johnson said. "We played hard."

Humphries is averaging 18.0 points in his last three games, but was held to six in a 107-94 loss at Boston on March 2.

Bradley keys Celtics' 94-82 win over Nets

By TOM CANAVAN
Posted Apr 14 2012 11:32PM

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) The days of Avery Bradley being just defensive guard for the Boston Celtics are seemingly over.

Bradley hit three straight 3-pointers and scored 11 of his 18 points in a game-deciding third quarter as the surging Celtics defeated the New Jersey Nets 94-82 Saturday night.

"No one is talking about it but he is probably the most improved since he has been in the lineup, " point guard Rajon Rondo said after the Celtics won for the 10th time in 13 games and the 20th in 28. "I know he hasn't done it all year but the time he has been given, we haven't had a lot of practice time, but once Doc (Rivers) threw him in he was ready to go. He has never looked back and he has continued to grow. He is playing well every game and he is always positive and it shows on the floor."

The 21-year-old Bradley hit 7 of 14 shots, including 3 of 4 from long range. Prior to this game, he had never hit more than one 3-pointer in a game and had made only 9 of 30 all season.

"We know what he can do," veteran Paul Pierce said of Bradley. "It's just about him developing his confidence and I said it over and over again, the more he plays and the more we show confidence in him. This kid was highly touted out of high school and was one year and out out of college. We know he can play. It's just about developing him and working his confidence. You see it night in and night out how it has grown."

Kevin Garnett had 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Celtics, whose magic number for winning the Atlantic Division was reduced to four.

Rondo added 15 assists, Brandon Bass had 18 points and Pierce 17 points for Boston, which limited New Jersey to 34 second-half points in beating the Nets for the third time in three games this season.

The Celtics dropped a game in Toronto on Friday night with a bad second half and they were not about to let it happen on Saturday.

"We came out a lot more aggressive," Garnett said. "We ran our system and our things and defensively we slowed them down a bit and never looked back."

Gerald Green had 15 points to lead New Jersey, while rookie Jordan Williams had 12 points and career-best 14 rebounds in recording his first double-double.

Deron Williams had 12 points and 14 assists for the Nets, who had won six of their last nine in their best run of the season. MarShon Brooks added 13 points.

New Jersey was in position to add another win after tying the game at 48-all on a buzzer beater by Green at halftime.

The second half, however, was all Boston, much to the delight of the many green-clad fans in the sellout crowd of 18,711.

"They played harder and played better," Deron Williams said. "They took us out of our rhythm, and then we couldn't stop them at the other end."

The third quarter decided the game with the Celtics outscoring New Jersey 26-13. Bradley was the catalyst in a late 13-4 spurt in which he hit three straight 3s from the right corner, inches from the Nets' bench.

"Avery got hot and we rode him," Garnett said. "He gave us three big threes in that stretch to open the game, and on top of that he was playing defense and initiating a lot of energy off some of the turnovers we were getting. You couldn't ask for anything better."

New Jersey made 6 of 25 shots in the third quarter and didn't do much better in the fourth, scoring one basket in the opening 4 minutes as the Celtics led by 17 points.

NOTES: Pierce stubbed his left big toe in the fourth quarter and it was bothering him after the game. ...The Nets weren't thrilled with the officiating and Deron Williams and Avery Johnson were both whistled for technical fouls. ... Jets coach Rex Ryan sat at courtside and got his share of boos from the many Celtics fans. ... Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter John Legend also was on hand, and got more cheers than Ryan. ... Celtics veteran G Ray Allen missed his third straight game with soreness and swelling in his right ankle. Coach Doc Rivers said he will not play in Charlotte on Sunday and is 50-50 for the game in New York on Tuesday. ...Because of traffic delays getting from New York to New Jersey, the Celtics didn't arrive at the Prudential Center until 65 minutes before the tipoff.

Notebook: Celtics 94, Nets 82

Posted Sunday April 15, 2012 12:09AM

By Jake Appleman, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: In a tale of two halves, the Boston Celtics played the Nets even in the first and dominated them in the second, as they coasted to a 94-82 win at Prudential Center. Kevin Garnett (21 points, 12 rebounds) and Brandon Bass (18 points, 11 rebounds) formed a impressive interior tandem while Paul Pierce (17 points) and Avery Bradley (18 points) contributed clutch baskets from the perimeter and off of penetration. Rajon Rondo tallied 15 assists to continue his historic run (21 straight games of double-digit assists).

The former Celtic Gerald Green led the Nets with 15 points.

QUOTABLE: "He has found the fountain of youth. He can shoot, he can pass, he rebounds, he plays pick-and-roll defense, he blocks shots, and he is doing it all right now. Garnett and Bass are a really good combination at four and five and that's why they will have a chance come playoff time."
-- Nets head coach Avery Johnson, on Garnett.

THE STAT: The Celtics' stifling defense held the Nets to 54 points in the game's final three quarters.

TURNING POINT: The Celtics scored the first nine points of the third quarter. Garnett and Bass began the run by slamming home dunks and Pierce converted a free throw off a technical foul on Johnson. Bradley's midrange jumper then forced Johnson to call timeout. Back-to-back threes from Bradley late in the quarter pushed the lead to 12, as one Avery forced another to call timeout twice in under five minutes of game action. The Celtics' dominant third quarter killed any momentum the Nets had heading into halftime, when Green sank an improbable three at the buzzer.

QUOTABLE II: "Avery made two big threes for us, but the three was huge because it stretched the game open for us."
-- Celtics head coach Doc Rivers.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Deron Williams wasn't wrong. It felt like a road game for the Nets. Large contingents of Celtics fans made their collective presence felt, cheering for Boston baskets and dotting the Prudential Center with enough green to spark an environmental protection rally. When Garnett checked out midway through the fourth quarter, he received a noticeable ovation...Singer/songwriter John Legend sat courtside.

ROOKIE WATCH: Jordan Williams tallied a career-high 14 rebounds for the Nets while MarShon Brooks scored 13 points but struggled with his shot (6-17). Greg Stiemsma was excellent in his role off the Celtics' bench with six points and nine rebounds.

QUOTABLE III: "He's gotten better in the last month. He's in shape now. He's got the hazing out of the way. He's been yelled at so he's got thicker skin and now he's just out there playing and things don't bother him anymore."
-- Deron Williams, on the maturation of Jordan Williams.

NOTABLE: The Nets jumped out to a 28-22 lead after one quarter, thanks to eight assists from Deron Williams and efficient scoring from DeShawn Stevenson, Jordan Williams and Kris Humphries. The quarter featured a 21-8 Nets run...Williams only had six assists the rest the way and was out-assisted by Rondo 15-14.

UP NEXT: For the Celtics, Sunday @ Charlotte, Tuesday @ New York, Wednesday vs. Orlando. For the Nets, Monday vs. Miami, Wednesday vs. New York, Saturday @ Milwaukee.

• Celtics: Allen, O'Neal
• Nets: James, Lopez

• Celtics: Pietrus
• Nets: Johnson, Williams

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
• Officials: #23 Jason Phillips, #18 Matt Boland, #45 Brian Forte
• Attendance: 18711
• Duration: 2:14