NETS GAMENIGHT: #Nets @ #Celtics

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Updated: March 7, 2014

BROOKLYN NETS (30-29) @ BOSTON CELTICS (20-41)

TD Garden 7:30

TV: YES  RADIO: WFAN 660/101.9FM

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NETS STARTERS
The starting lineup will be  Deron Williams playing alongside  Shaun Livingston in the backcourt with  Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce up front and the man in the middle Mason Plumlee.

Brooklyn came off the destruction of the Chicago Bulls with another solid defensive performance against one of the leagues hottest teams in the Memphis Grizzlies where they had a 30 point lead late in the third quarter.  The bench made it look better than it was in the final quarter by allowing the Grizzlies to creep within nine points before the Nets closed the door in a 103-94 win.

Their wont be any emotional video tributes this time for Pierce when he visits Boston tonight so it should make it a bit easier to focus and come away with a fifth straight win and a third straight on the road.

Kevin Garnett will miss a fourth straight game due to back spasms and did not even make the trip to Boston.

CELTICS STARTERS

The Celtics starting lineup will be Rajon Rondo and Jerryd Bayless in the backcourt with Jeff Green , Brandon Bass and  Kris Humphries playing in the frontcourt.

Boston has lost seven of their last eight games and are just counting the days until the end of the season and the NBA Draft.

The Celtics have dropped seven straight and 23 of 25 versus opponents that have winning records and right now Brooklyn has a winning record.

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Game Notes:

The Nets are trying to defeat the Celtics four straight times in the regular season in franchise history.

A victory would match Brooklyn’s longest winning streak of the season (five games) and longest road winning streak of the season (three games).

The Nets have posted a 20-8 record since the start of January.

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[quote_simple]WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Beat the cellar dwellers

The Nets are 15-1 in their last 16 against teams currently below .500 so that means the focus has been there.

They have suddenly found their defense and are only allowing 90.3 points per game during the streak and forcing an average of 22.8 turnovers in the process.

The Nets have won five of six against their Atlantic Division rivals, including the last three in Boston so another win tonight would be great to go back home with for Sunday.

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[box]INJURY REPORT

NETS

Joe Johnson – GTD (illness)

Brook Lopez  – OUT (ankle)

Kevin Garnett – OUT (back spasms)

CELTICS

Vitor Faverani – OUT (left knee)

Avery Bradley – OUT (right ankle)

Gerald Wallace – OUT (left knee)

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