Pierce, but not Garnett, to face Celtics in black-and-white

Paul Pierce has said he's unlikely to play in next week's preseason game in Boston, but he will be on the court Tuesday when the Celtics, with their ex-Nets, travel to Brooklyn. The image of Pierce in black-and-white, not green, is likely to make grown men cry in Beantown. So maybe that's the reason why Jason Kidd isn't playing Kevin Garnett ... as a show of mercy.

Makes for a good story, but Kidd wants to save as many regular season minutes for his two former Celtic superstars. He rested Pierce on Monday and will rest KG on Tuesday.  Garnett isn't happy about it. After all, it's the first test of the back-and-back plan for KG. Kidd has proposed, and Garnett has objected, a plan that would have KG sit out half of the Nets; 19 back-to-backs.

"It wasn’t my decision. So that’s where I’m going to leave that," said Garnett, after the Sixer game. "I am trying to be as positive as I can be. This is not up to me, and I’m being positive. I’m trying to listen and go with the plan that was laid out for me, and being positive with that, so I’m trusting [Nets coach] Jason [Kidd] and what he has in store for myself and I’m going to embrace it."

Meanwhile, ex-Nets Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries and MarShon Brooks will be on the court in Celtic green. Keith Bogans is hurt and Kris Joseph is now in Orlando. Brooks, so far, is the only player in the game to admit it's a big deal, telling Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe. "Obviously I’m looking forward to playing at the Barclays Center because they traded me," he said.

Jorge Gutierrez may be back Tuesday to give Shaun Livingston some rest at the point. No word yet on the other walking wounded, which includes Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko, Jason Terry and Tyshawn Taylor.

• Brooklyn Nets: Pre-Season Game Notes - Brooklyn Nets
• Boston Celtics: Pre-Season Game Notes - Boston Celtics
• KG on sitting vs. C's: Not my decision - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
• C's emotionless for first meeting with Nets - Chris Forsberg - ESPN Boston
• Garnett upset with early rest - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
• Lawrence Frank to be mastermind behind Nets defensive strategy - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
• Kevin Garnett to adjust game as NBA cracks down on illegal screens - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
• Kevin Garnett finds kindred spirit in Nets' Reggie Evans - Rod Boone - Newsday
  
• Garnett Says Nets Are ‘a Work in Progress’ on Defense - Andrew Keh - New York Times
• KG: Tomorrow vs. Celtics not about me - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
• Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett in Brooklyn Uniforms Still Strange Sight to See With Preseason Games Getting Underway - Pat Bradley - NESN
• Brandon Bass, Celtics Feeling Mixed Emotions for Reunion With Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett - Ben Watanabe - NESN
• Gerald Wallace Turns Into Fanboy Meeting Tom Brady, Says His Heroes Are ‘Michael Jordan, Then Him’ - Ben Watanabe - NESN
• No big deal to see Nets - Steve Bulpett - Boston Herald
• Celtics hope to get more W’s by catching more Z’s - Baxter Holmes - Boston Globe
  
• Still unclear if Pierce, Garnett will play Tuesday - Celtics Blog