The Nets have won four straight, including two without Deron Williams, but all four have been against sub-.500 teams. That's not the case when the Celtics, sporting the best record in the East, come to Newark for a big game Monday. Big because the Nets haven't won five straight in three years ...and big because the Celtics looked every bit a championship contender Sunday vs. the Bucks.
Williams will be back and the Nets hope seven days off has helped his sore wrist but even with a bum wrist, he's averaged 15.8 points and a staggering 15.2 assists a game and made the Nets one of the top scoring teams in the league. Now he'll be up against Rajon Rondo, another of the NBA's top point guards.
The Celtics blew out the Bucks in a defensive tour de force, setting a franchise record for fewest points (56) allowed in the shot clock era. Ex-Net Nenad Krstic continued his excellent play since being traded by OKC. Krstic is averaging 16 and 11 over the past four games. Troy Murphy, who had been 1-for-11 before the Bucks blowout, scored 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting.
The Nets expect two of the world's top soccer players, Thierry Henry and Rafael Marquez, to be courtside. With only a few hundred seats unsold as of Sunday afternoon, the game could be the Nets fourth sellout in the last five games (counting the two London "home" games.)
- New Jersey Nets Game Notes - New Jersey Nets
- Boston Celtics Game Notes - Boston Celtics
- Getting Inside - New Jersey Nets - Sports Xchange
- Getting Inside - Boston Celtics - Sports Xchange
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Celtics-Nets Preview - Stats LLC
- Who's better: Rajon Rondo or Deron Williams - Chris Palmer - ESPN Magazine
- Playoffs 'do-able' for Nets - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Daddy Deron Williams back for rolling Nets - Al Iannazzone - The Record
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Deron Williams returns to Nets practice, believes New Jersey still has a chance - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
- West gets closer to a return - Julian Benbow - Boston Globe
- Celtics Get First Look at Deron Williams in New Role With New Jersey - Evans Clinchy - NESN
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C's Look to Protect Top Spot in Eastern Conference Against New Jersey Nets - Evans Clinchy - NESN
- Stingy Celtics stifle Bucks in Boston - AP