After a thrilling back-and-forth game against the Indiana Pacers last night, the Boston Celtics must recuperate quickly as they face off against the Brooklyn Nets tonight, who are fighting hard to remain in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
That Celtics/Pacers tilt was an instant classic, and it took some late-game heroics by Kyrie Irving (who else) to secure the win. Irving notched 30 points against Indiana, including the game-winning layup with just 0.5 seconds left on the clock.
However, it was not just a one-man show for Boston, as Al Horford played his typically unassuming but extremely effective brand of basketball – leading to 19 quiet points with 7 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 assists in 34 minutes, as well as a +11 on/off rating.
Against the Nets, though, neither Irving or Horford will play, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN:
Kyrie Irving (lower back) and Al Horford (left knee) won’t play tonight in Brooklyn. Jayson Tatum is questionable (illness). Could be a big break for a Nets team desperate for wins to stay in the playoff picture.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) March 30, 2019
Bontemps posits that this might end up being a boon for the Nets, who are currently holding on for dear life to a playoff berth that seemed like a foregone conclusion a few weeks ago.
In the bottom half of the Eastern Conference, the number 6 through number 10 seeds are separated by a measly 3 games in the standings. Currently, the Pistons hold the sixth seed with a 38-37 record, but the Nets are right behind them at 38-38 (having played one more game than Detroit). The Heat, Magic and Hornets are all within 2 games of one another for the final playoff berth.
Who knows how the rest of the season will play out in the East, but it seems that the Nets might catch a break in tonight’s action versus the Celts.
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