What to Watch for in Brooklyn Nets vs. Celtics

The Brooklyn Nets will face off against the Boston Celtics for the third time this season.

Brooklyn earned its third victory of the season the last time they faced the Celtics in Boston, showing Nets fans a glimmer of hope in a very dark situation.

In that game, it seemed like Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton were finally settling into their roles as the top two options on this team.

Porter scored a game-high 33 points on 13-of-21 shooting, while Claxton registered his first career triple-double - finishing with 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds.

For a Nets team that got absolutely embarrassed by the New York Knicks on Wednesday, this could be a good opportunity to get back on track and implement the same principles that helped Brooklyn go 7-4 in December while boasting the league's best defensive rating.

However, that still might not be enough against a Celtics team that has gone 19-8 since their last matchup, propelling them to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Celtics have been without Jayson Tatum all season due to an Achilles tear, but Jaylen Brown has stepped up as a legitimate MVP candidate, averaging 29.8 points per game on 48.8% shooting, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.

Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Anfernee Simons have also helped hold it down for the Celtics offensively, but given the personnel changes all across Boston's roster, especially with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis out of town, they've struggled to hold it down defensively similarly to years past.

Brown has scored at least 26 points in each of his two games against the Nets this season, but Brooklyn has the defensive personnel necessary to take the MVP candidate out of his game.

Nets coach Jordi Fernandez encourages his team to play physical and doesn't mind it when his players commit fouls as long as they're pressuring their opponents full court and making them uncomfortable.

Expect to see Drake Powell, Ziaire Williams, and Terance Mann take turns defending Brown and implement those defensive principles.

Porter has been cold in recent games, as he's reportedly dealing with an "MCL little sprain." However, he could come in with a little extra adrenaline against a heated division rival and replicate the same performance he had last time against Boston.

This matchup could also give Egor Demin an opportunity to shake off his recent shooting slump.