Nets at Celtics
The Boston Celtics are coming off a tough home loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday but finished off February with a 9-3 mark and the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics will try to get their March slate started off right when they host the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.
Boston got a miracle 3-pointer off a missed free throw from Jaylen Brown to send Saturday's game to overtime and nearly pulled out the win before Brown's jumper fell short, and coach Brad Stevens is looking for teaching moments. "We learn from everything," Stevens told reporters. "I think that's important. The physicality was - it really affected us in both these games against Houston, like it really affected us. We have to become a little bit better holding our ground. Part of that is just the boot strength and part of it is picking your spots a little bit better, getting angles a little bit better." Boston is trying to surpass Toronto for the No. 2 seed in the East, which could set up a first-round date with the slumping Nets. Brooklyn dropped its last four games to slip a half-game behind the Orlando Magic in the battle for the seventh seed going into play on Monday but still sits well clear of the ninth-place Washington Wizards.
TIME: 7:30 p.m. ET. TV: TNT
ABOUT THE NETS (26-33): Brooklyn is trying to salvage the finale of the four-game trip in Boston after falling at Washington, Atlanta and Miami on the first three stops but at least is moving in the right direction. The Nets were embarrassed 141-118 at Atlanta on Friday and avoided a similar fate with a late rally against the Heat before falling 116-113. "We're not playing great defensively," coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters. "We're not at our Top 10 level right now. But I thought we didn't lose the skirmishes or the battles. They made a lot of tough shots. ... Our process was better. We gave up a few too many rebounds, but the defense was better. Not where it needs to be."
ABOUT THE CELTICS (41-18): Boston shot 39 percent from the floor on Saturday as Jayson Tatum (32 points, 9-of-27 shooting) and Brown (22 points, 9-of-23) both struggled to find a rhythm after an extended stretch of strong shooting for both young stars. "We still have another level we can go to," Brown told reporters after the loss. "Tonight, we fell short, but it's another good learning lesson, another great game for us to build off of and learn." Brown was under 40 percent from the floor on Saturday for the first time since Jan. 13 while Tatum's rough night came on the heels of a three-game stretch in which he shot 62.9 percent.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Celtics PG Kemba Walker (knee) missed the last five games but participated in practice on Sunday and could return Tuesday.
2. Nets PG Spencer Dinwiddie averaged 24.5 points and 12.5 assists over the last two games.
3. The home team took each of the first two meetings, with Boston earning a 121-110 triumph on Nov. 27 behind 39 points from Walker.