The Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets first matchup of the season will mark the first time that Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry reunite with the former team after an offseason blockbuster trade that shook up the Eastern Conference. Or at least it was supposed to.
The upgraded roster of the Brooklyn Nets was supposed to mean increased wins while dominating the conference. The starting lineup has over 30 All-Star appearances combined so things should work out just fine, right? However, right now the Nets are 6-14 sitting just above the New York Knicks while the Boston Celtics sit in first in the Atlanta Division.
How is that starting lineup doing? Garnett is averaging career lows in points and shooting percentage. Pierce is coming off a hand fracture while also putting career-worsts in points and field-goal percentage. Deron Williams has missed most of the season with an ankle injury. Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez are the lone starters actually putting up quality minutes.
However, it looks as though the team could be on the upswing as far as health in concerned. Williams is expected back on Tuesday against the Celtics and Pierce could be returning as well. That will certainly help, but if the team is not gelling, the will continue to fall flat.
On the other side, the young Celtics are proving to be a team not to be messed with. The squad is coming off a blowout win against the Knicks where they put up 114 points. They got off to a 25-3 lead and never looked back. The team has shot 57.8 percent over the past five games in the first quarter alone. Another fast start could see the Brooklyn Nets as the next victim.
