BOSTON – The Boston Celtics are one of the league’s deepest teams, which is a key reason for them leading the Brooklyn Nets 66-42 at the half.
The Celtics used 10 players in the first half with everyone logging at least nine minutes of court time.
Boston head coach Brad Stevens is well aware his team has the ability to just wear down opponents over time, which is indeed the case on Friday night.
The Celtics began to pound the ball inside and attack a porous Brooklyn defense.
It didn’t take long for Boston’s lead to reach double figures as they closed out the half with a 28-9 run.
A victory for Boston would not only improve their overall record, but also add on to what has been a rough start to the season for Brooklyn.
And that’s important to the Celtics, owners of Brooklyn’s first-round pick in the 2016 draft which is shaping up to be a high lottery pick.
Boston Celtics
Here are three pointers from the first half:
(ALMOST) MISTAKE FREE
Boston limited their miscues in the first half to just six turnovers which resulted in only four points. Their ability to take care of the ball allowed them to have little trouble pulling away in the second quarter.
JAE CROWDER
His defense, intensity and shot-making really helped set the tone in a first half in which the Celtics dominated the Nets in every way imaginable. He leads all scorers with 17 points on 7-for-9.
BENCH PLAY
The contributions continue to come in from anyone and everyone Brad Stevens taps on the shoulder to enter the game. Boston’s bench outscored their Brooklyn counterparts 25-13 and were led by David Lee’s 11 points on a flawless 5-for-5 shooting performance.