Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics 3/6/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Predictions

Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics Matchup Preview (3/6/22)

Kevin Durant and company look to avoid dropping yet another Eastern Conference game when they go to battle with the red-hot Celtics in Boston. The Nets seemed to take a step forward in their last game against Miami but ended up blowing a big lead and could not get it back. However, Durant was absolutely fabulous, scoring 31 points in his first game back. He looked to be at full health; his presence will be a necessity for the Brooklyn Nets if they want to make any late-season push at the playoffs.

Boston continues to roll with its thirteenth win out of its last 15 games. Surprisingly, the only teams that beat the Celtics during that period were the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons: neither of them is playoff material. The Celtics have rolled every other team over the past five-to-six weeks, and their defense is at the forefront of their success. Since December 1st, they have merely allowed opponents to shoot roughly 43% from the field, the lowest mark in the NBA. Still, Brooklyn can be a playoff team, which means that the Celtics should give it their full attention in this matchup. Check out the betting odds section below for my complete analysis on this game and who I think will pull through in the end!

Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics Betting Odds

If Jaylen Brown is back for this game, then the Boston Celtics‘ Moneyline is a no-brainer bet for me. It will be challenging for the Brooklyn Nets to hold down Jayson Tatum and Brown, especially with a below-average defense at best. Since January 1st, the Brooklyn Nets have had a defensive rating of nearly 120, which is atrocious, to put it nicely. The C’s should exploit that defense at any time they want as long as the status quo remains the same. It will be a closer game since Durant is back, and Kyrie Irving should be available to play, but I’ll stick with the Celtics’ Moneyline for this one. Boston has burned me one too many times for me not to trust it.

How To Watch

Date: 3/6/22
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Arena: TD Garden – Boston, MA
Channel: ABC

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Brooklyn Nets Starting Lineup

PG: Goran Dragic
SG: Seth Curry
SF: Bruce Brown Jr.
PF: Kevin Durant
C: Andre Drummond

Brooklyn Nets Analysis

There’s good news and bad news right now in Brooklyn. The good news is that Kevin Durant is back in the starting lineup and not on any hard minutes restriction. The bad news is that Ben Simmons will be out a while longer, Kyrie Irving is still unable to play for the Nets at home, and they have had to play the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics in back-to-back games. Still, Durant’s return will help substantially, considering he is arguably the best player on the planet. It may not help the Nets win in this matchup, but there are plenty of other games that they can win and, hopefully, help get them out of the play-in spot.

Boston Celtics Starting Lineup

PG: Marcus Smart
SG: Derrick White
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Robert Williams III
C: Al Horford

Boston Celtics Analysis

As of Friday, the Boston Celtics have won 13 of their past 15 games, with only two losses coming against the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons. It may be confusing, but when the Celtics have played against quality, playoff-caliber opponents, they have convincingly won. This may be the best team in the NBA right now because the Phoenix Suns will be without Chris Paul for at least six more weeks. Boston ranks first in every defensive statistical category over the past several months, and it seems that Ime Udoka has shifted the culture entirely over just a few months. It is impressive, to say the least, considering that Boston started the season very poorly. As long as the Celtics can force Durant to take tough, contested shots, I like their chances in this matchup.

Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics Daily Fantasy Picks

It took absolutely no time for Kevin Durant to jump right back into his usual form. Durant’s first game back was almost everything you could hope for as a Brooklyn Nets fan; the only other ask would have been for them to get a win. That is forgivable as the Heat are one of the two best teams in the Eastern Conference right now, and the Nets were without Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons. In his first game back, Durant posted 31 points, grabbed four rebounds, and dished out four assists. Durant was able to score 31 points on merely 21 shots, which is quite impressive, regardless of whether he had missed time or not. The Nets’ role players could have trouble scoring on this elite Celtics’ defense, which will force Durant to take control from the beginning. This game could be a triple-double watch for Durant, and I cannot wait to see what he pulls off.

If Jaylen Brown does not play, then Jayson Tatum could be a terrific DFS play for you. Tatum just lit up the Memphis Grizzlies, who have a top ten defense, for 37 points, six rebounds, and five assists on his birthday. The Celtics controlled the game from beginning to end, and Memphis had no answer on defense for Tatum. In the past two games, Tatum has scored 33 and 37 points but, more importantly, has gotten a ton of volume with Brown out. He has put up 25 shots in each of those games, which have been without Brown, so we should expect something similar if he misses another game due to an ankle sprain. All things considered, Tatum is playing incredible basketball right now, and you should consider taking advantage of that if your budget allows for his hefty salary.