The Brooklyn Nets will return from the All-Star break on Thursday night at Barclays Center against the Boston Celtics. The 31-28 Nets are in eighth place in the East and the 34-26 Celtics are in sixth.
Brooklyn entered the break with a 117-103 loss to Washington on Feb. 17. Patty Mills led the Nets with 22 points (5-of-7 from the 3-point line) and Cam Thomas scored 20 (7-of-17) off the bench.
Boston was edged by Detroit on Feb. 16, 112-111. Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 31 points (12-of-21) and Jayson Tatum had 22 points (7-of-15).
Kyrie Irving won’t be able to suit up against his former team due to his vaccination status. It’ll be the fourth-straight game that Irving will sit out.
The two teams last met on Feb. 8 in Brooklyn when the Celtics cruised to a 126-91 win. Marcus Smart and Brown both had 22 points. Jevon Carter, who was waived as part of the Goran Dragic signing, led the Nets with 21 points.
Brooklyn will be without Kevin Durant (MCL), Joe Harris (ankle), Ben Simmons (conditioning), Dragic (conditioning), and Irving (ineligible). Boston has zero players on its injury report.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics betting odds, spread, over/under
According to WynnBET, the Celtics are the 7.5-point favorites over the Nets. Boston is -340 on the moneyline and Brooklyn sits at +270. The over/under for the game is set at 214 points.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics prediction
The Celtics will have their typical starting five on the court tonight while the Nets will be without what could be their starting five. That’s all that needs to be said about that.
Boston last traveled to Brooklyn two days before the deadline and while the Nets still aren’t at full strength, Thursday’s game won’t be as lopsided. The Celtics may have lost their final game before the break but before that they had won nine straight. If Brooklyn can get a win, that’d be huge although I don’t believe that will happen.
We’re going with the Celtics -7.5 and over 214 points.
Boston 118, Brooklyn 110.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics TV channel
The Nets-Celtics game will be broadcast on TNT. The tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Brooklyn Nets schedule and upcoming games
Brooklyn will travel to Milwaukee this weekend before returning to Barclays Center on Feb. 28.
Feb. 26 at Milwaukee
Feb. 28 vs. Toronto
Mar. 1 at Toronto
Mar. 3 vs. Miami
When will Ben Simmons make his Nets debut?
On Monday's edition of NBA Today, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported that Ben Simmons is 'weeks' away from his Brooklyn Nets debut.