Sound the alarm. The Celtics, playing without Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis, lost to Steph Curry and the 7-1 Warriors. Time to panic.
But seriously, the best way to move forward after a tough loss is by, well, moving forward. The Celtics (7-2) will get a chance to bounce back when they host the sneakily solid Nets (4-4) on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
The game may not carry quite the same pizzazz as the one before it, but the Nets are no joke. They’re currently tied for third in the Eastern Conference and play a fast, fearless style of basketball.
Here are three things to look for as they clash in an Atlantic Division showdown.
Can Jayson Tatum keep it rolling?
The season is only nine games in, but Tatum has very much looked the part of a legitimate Most Valuable Player candidate to this point.
He’s averaging 30.2 points, 7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game and has scored 28-plus on all but one occasion so far.
One thing I’ve noticed lately is how well the Celtics utilize Tatum in the high pick-and-roll. They’ll let him operate just in front of half court, set a screen and force the defense to switch. When Tatum has a guard on him, he uses his strength. When he has a big on him, he uses his speed. When the double comes, he makes the right read.
It’s simple basketball, but it’s effective, in large part because Tatum’s decision-making has been elite. He’s operating in a LeBron James-like role, where he’s at the hub and everything revolves around him. It’s working, and there’s no reason to tweak it at the moment.
Is Neemias Queta becoming a fan favorite?
A few years ago, only a few diehard NBA fans outside of Sacramento knew of Neemias Queta. Last year, he became an intriguing name in Celtics circles. This season, he’s on the verge of blossoming into a fan favorite in Boston.
Queta, who provided 14 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks in 28 minutes Wednesday, is figuring it out game by game. He’s not quite Robert Williams III yet, but he does have some Williams-like tendencies and traits.
The next step for him is improving his finishing at the rim, and that means polishing his 3-to-5-footer. If he becomes a serious threat to score on more than just lobs, watch out. It’s clear he’s earned head coach Joe Mazzulla’s trust in the short term and become a project long term.
Can they contain Cam Thomas and Dennis Schröder?
If you thought you were finally done watching Dennis Schröder for a while once the Olympics were over, I regret to inform you that he’s now on the Brooklyn Nets.
And yes, he’s playing well. Very well, actually. Schröder is averaging 19.9 points and 7.3 assists and has earned minutes over Ben Simmons (sorry, I’ll leave Simmons out of this).
Asked Dennis Schroder whether he feels the Nets veterans were overlooked entering the season:
“We don’t really care what people think, what they say. We believe in this group, and everybody wants to make the playoffs.” pic.twitter.com/mbQ0cNUIII
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) November 5, 2024
Schröder is the kind of player who thrives when he has freedom, and that’s what he has in Brooklyn. With Cam Thomas (24.9 points per game) and Cameron Johnson (16.6 PPG) as sidekicks, Schröder helps the Nets push the pace.
They’re the kind of team that you think you’re going to wallop, then you look up and it’s a six-point game with two minutes left. It’s very possible the Celtics win by 30, but it’s probably more likely that the plucky Nets hang around before the Celtics ultimately prevail.
