Celtics at Nets
The Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets are in the midst of a wild race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Head-to-head matchups like theirs Monday in Brooklyn could go a long way toward determining who goes to the postseason. The Celtics fell a half-game behind eighth-place Charlotte with a 105-97 overtime loss to Detroit on Sunday, while Brooklyn is a game out of eighth.
While Boston has lost three straight, the Nets have won four of their last five and are trying to match their season-high with a third consecutive victory. "We're running out of games, so they're all important," Brooklyn coach Lionel Hollins told reporters after a 123-11 win at Indiana on Saturday. "You want to win every game." The Celtics have won two of three meetings this season, including an 89-81 victory at Brooklyn on Jan. 7.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN New England (Boston), YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE CELTICS (30-39): Boston is expected to be without one of its top offensive weapons with guard Isaiah Thomas (back) likely to miss his eighth straight game, and big man Jared Sullinger (foot) already is lost for the season. Thomas averaged 16.3 points in his first five games after being acquired from Phoenix, and the Celtics have missed his spark coming off the bench, as they shot a paltry 36.2 percent against Detroit, including 8-of-27 from 3-point range. Jae Crowder has picked up some of the slack, scoring in double figures in a career-high five straight games, including 19 points against the Pistons.
ABOUT THE NETS (29-39): Brooklyn has been clicking at the offensive end during its past five games with five players averaging double-digit scoring over that span. Brook Lopez has led the way during the stretch, averaging 18.8 points, and is the team's leading scorer (15.8) and rebounder (seven). Joe Johnson (15 points) also has been hot, and Thaddeus Young has averaged 13.9 points in 16 games since being acquired from Minnesota, including 15.4 points in eight games since moving into the starting lineup.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Nets have scored 120 points or more in three of their past four games after doing so once in their first 64 contests this season.
2. The Celtics have won the second game of their past four back-to-back sets and seven of their last eight.
3. Lopez needs 13 points to tie Kerry Kittles (7,096) for fifth place in franchise history.