Celtics post one of NBA’s best offensive performances vs. Nets

BOSTON (AP) — The Celtics have been one of many NBA’s hottest groups since getting back from the All-Star break.

They will add among the finest offensive performances in league historical past to their checklist of accomplishments as they await a potential return of star Jayson Tatum to motion.

Boston shot a season-high 66.7% (52 of 78) from the sphere of their 148-111 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. It was the second-best subject purpose proportion in staff historical past, falling simply wanting the 67.9% they shot towards the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 21, 1984.

The Celtics additionally shot 64.7% from the 3-point line Friday, which equated to an 80.8% efficient subject purpose proportion – the best in NBA historical past. Efficient subject purpose proportion measures capturing effectivity by adjusting for the truth that 3-pointers are price greater than two-point photographs

All-Star Jaylen Brown led the best way, ending with 28 factors, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. However he received loads of assist from his teammates, with commerce deadline acquisition Nikola Vucevic including 28 factors and 11 rebounds for his third double-double as a member of the Celtics.

“I believed we simply did a very good job studying the sport,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned. “I believed we made the proper reads all through many of the whole recreation. I believed tonight Vooch actually seemed snug in his offensive reads and his offensive screening. He unlocked lots of stuff for us.”

All 13 Celtics gamers scored within the recreation, with Boston committing solely three turnovers after halftime.

Boston, winners of 5 of its six video games for the reason that All-Star break, will now wait to see if Sunday evening’s house matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers will mark the return of Tatum.

The sport, initially scheduled to be performed earlier within the day, was moved by NBC into an 8 p.m. primetime slot, creating hypothesis it might sign Tatum’s plan to return.

It’s been 41 weeks since Tatum ruptured his proper Achilles tendon final Could within the waning minutes of the Celtics’ loss to the New York Knicks in Recreation 4 of the Jap Convention finals.

The Celtics are required by the NBA to launch an preliminary damage report by 5:00 p.m. EST on Saturday forward of Sunday’s house recreation towards the 76ers.

After training with the Celtics’ G League staff two weeks in the past, Tatum mentioned he hadn’t but decided of whether or not he’d return.

“It doesn’t imply that I’m coming again or I’m not, it’s simply following the plan. So it’s simply one other step,” Tatum mentioned. “I don’t know proportion. I simply know I really feel a little bit bit higher on a regular basis. I simply attempt to concentrate on that.”

Tatum mentioned in the identical interview that he’s additionally conscious of not eager to disrupt the progress of a Celtics staff that at 39-20 at the moment sits in second place within the Jap Convention standings.

’I’m simply hyper conscious of what’s happening. I believe it might simply stem from that. Clearly, I do know what I deliver to the desk and convey to the staff. However I’m additionally conscious that these guys have been enjoying extraordinarily properly,” Tatum mentioned.