Recapping Celtics - Nets

(DGA Productions)


By: Greg Payne

Celtics 100 - Nets 93

The C's keep rolling through the preseason and appear to be getting better and better with each game.

Thoughts after today's game:

• I'm not allowed to say Kevin Garnett is "back", but he is looking very, very good. 12 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes today. He dealt with some interesting situations this afternoon, such as catching a Rajon Rondo pass on the very edge of the baseline, turning, leaping and tossing it back into Pierce. He didn't appear to have any side effects from a demanding play like that, which was great to see.
  

• Please save it for the regular season, Paul Pierce. The Captain poured in 25 points today on 8-12 shooting.
  

• Rondo's two bright spots today came on a dunk in the paint off of a Pierce feed and then on a skying block on Chris Douglas-Roberts on the other end. Despite those highlights, we still haven't seen much out of Rondo yet. Is it just preseason syndrome?
  

• It's a good thing Eddie House stayed this season. He further cemented his reputation with 13 points today, knocking down three three-pointers in the process.

• The Nets hung around in this game. We only led by a point after the first quarter and two points at the end of the third. Did the bench finish them off? You bet they did. About halfway through the five man squad of Rasheed Wallace, House, Marquis Daniels, Glen Davis and Lester Hudson went on a 9-0 run, capped off by 'Sheed finding a cutting Daniels for a reverse layup, to make it 87-74 Boston.

• Then, though, Mike Sweetney, Shelden Williams and J.R. Giddens entered the game and the Nets clawed back to within three points (96-93). But Sweetney buried two free throws to help cement the win.