BSJ Game Report: Celtics 136, Nets 86 - Wire-to-wire demolition brings Boston to the break

Everything you need to know about the Celtics blowout of the Nets, with BSJ insight and analysis

IN A NUTSHELL

Boston fired out of the gates building an early 18-point lead behind 12 points from Kristaps Porzingis. The lead was 15 to start the second and it grew to 36 by the half thanks to 10 in the quarter by Derrick White. The lead grew to 45 in the third and 56 in the fourth before settling at 50. It was Joe Mazzulla’s 100th win already in a season and a half. 

Box Score

HEADLINES

- From the jump: This is how Celtics fans wish every game would go. Jump all over a team from the start, bury them early, and coast from there. The Celtics have done this a bunch of times this season, but they’ve also obviously had some tight games. It’s nice to see them put up a game like this in the last game before the break. 

- Brooklyn … woof: They were awful. AWFUL. Dennis Schröder was giving me PTSD from his Celtics days. The Nets even missed all of the good looks they got, too. This was one to flush from their perspective. 

- Real Jordan Walsh minutes: Mazzulla took the opportunity to get Walsh into the game early and he stayed in the regular rotation. He didn’t score, but he did grab five rebounds and played some really nice defense. 

“Since Christmas, he came on the West Coast trip with us, and we made a conscious effort to just have an understanding of defense is how you make it in this league as a young player,” Mazzulla said. “I think he's just really, really grown in that area. In the games I've watched, and in the feedback from Maine, and his approach here with us, his defense has drastically improved. So I think it's an opportunity to give a young guy a chance, especially in a game where you're looking for energy, you know it’s going to be a team win, and you're down a couple guys. So I really like the way he has approached the defensive side of the ball.”

TURNING POINT 

Well, there was never really a turning point in this game. Boston opened the game on a 26-8 run. Then they went on a 22-0 run in the second quarter. I honestly feel like the turning point in this game was the end of last night’s game. Brooklyn did not show up in Boston. 

THINGS I LIKED

- Jayson Tatum dishing: He finished with nine assists on a cruise control night, just like I thought he’d have. He fed Porzingis early and spread the wealth nicely. 

- Derrick White: A nice slump-buster game for him, hitting 5-10 from deep and putting up 27 points. 

- Kristaps Porzingis: He’s fine after a little ankle tweak that ended his night after 16 minutes. But he put up 15 points in that time along with five rebounds. If he had played a full game, it would have been a big one.

- Payton Pritchard: Per Dick Lipe - Pritchard has scored at least 20 for the fifth time this season. All have come on the second night of back-to-backs. 

"I didn’t really know that," Pritchard said of his back-to-back stat. "I guess it’s just maybe certain guys are out, and some of us need to step up more on those nights, and I look forward to back-to-back nights because I feel like there’s a little bit more opportunity there, so do my part and help a win."

- Luke Kornet: He only played 18:33, somehow only finishing with eight points. But it felt like a lot more because he scored those in rapid succession. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

- Landing in Porzingis’ space: Porzingis is fine after landing on ANOTHER foot this season. I’m not enjoying how often he’s tweaking ankles. Again, it wasn’t a big deal and he was available to return, but I’d prefer feet stop finding their way under his. 

- Tatum playing most of the third quarter: I guess an extra 10 minutes of basketball doesn’t matter much in the long run, but it doesn’t mean I have to like watching Tatum on the floor for the most meaningless basketball of the season. 

HIGHLIGHTS

TWO TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- A perfect game.

I was very afraid of this game. I thought it was going to suck. Instead, the Celtics came out and dominated from the get-go. 

It was never a question. The game was over so quickly that there isn’t really much to say about it. The really good team smoked the not-so-good team.

“You can’t take that for granted, because the other side of the coin is we didn’t,” Mazzulla said after the game. “In my five years here, there's been a couple games like the night before All-Star where we've played well, and there's been a couple where we haven’t. So because the expectations are so high, I think we do have to take a moment and appreciate that. We did what we were supposed to do, and it's a credit to them.”

Sometimes even Mazzulla can appreciate the team sticking to the narrative.

- Boston’s missed free throw promotion is weak. 

Instead of the crowd just getting something free, like a shake or some nuggets, fans get a “free” Big Mac if the other team misses a fourth-quarter free throw. But you have to download the app and join their loyalty program, you have spend $2, and THEN you get your Big Mac. 

Just give the fans some freakin’ nuggets. Who doesn’t like six chunks of pressed chicken parts on the house because Nic Claxton sucks at the line? Don’t make me download some app so McDonald’s can have all my personal information. I’m just hungry and out of better options.

This is the kind of content you get from a game like this. Think about that next time you want to complain about a close game that I will break down and analyze. When games like this happen, you get me griping about hamburgers. 

This is also what happens when the trade deadline delays a week of Picks ‘n Pops. That returns Friday. 

Next up: The All-Star break is here. Boston’s next game is at Chicago on Thursday, February 22.