Celtics-Nets Preview
The Brooklyn Nets were the latest team to suffer from Avery Bradley's contributions off Boston's bench, and they might be the first to see him back in the starting lineup.
Bradley has surged as the Celtics' sixth man but may be asked to step in for another injured guard when they visit the Nets Sunday night for the back end of a home-and-home set.
The Celtics (7-5) cruised past the Nets 120-95 on Friday for their fourth win in five games and Bradley has been a big reason for that success.
After sitting out two games with a calf injury, Bradley has averaged 18.5 points in his last four. He has made 55.4 percent of his shots since his return and 9 of 17 3-pointers.
Bradley opened the season as Boston's starting shooting guard and may be called back into that role. Point guard Marcus Smart will not travel with the team on its two-game road trip after suffering a lower left leg injury Friday. Boston initially said Smart suffered a left knee bruise, and coach Brad Stevens said he would undergo an MRI.
While starting the team's first six games, Bradley averaged just 10.7 points on 38.1 percent shooting. Isaiah Thomas, an offensive spark plug off the bench last season, has averaged 20.6 points and 7.8 assists in the last five after replacing Bradley in the starting lineup. Thomas likely will take over the point guard duties for Smart.
Bradley matched a season high with 21 points against the Nets, while Thomas finished with 18 and nine assists.
''I said before the game I like those guys coming off the bench because of the scoring pop they give us, and sometimes you really need that,'' Stevens said. ''And (Bradley has) given it to us now four straight games.''
It's a larger streak in which he has tormented Brooklyn (2-11), averaging 20.6 in his last seven games against the Nets while shooting 57.3 percent and making 17 of 33 3-pointers.
Boston, winner of three straight on the road, has won three in a row over Brooklyn, including two at Barclays Center. Each win this season pays twice as much because the Celtics hold the Nets' first-round draft pick as a result of the trade that sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn in 2013.
While Boston scored a season high in points on Friday behind high-water marks in shooting (58.6 percent) and assists (39), Brooklyn struggled offensively again to suffer its fourth loss in five games.
The Nets, who rank toward the bottom of the league with 95.6 points per game, finished with a season-low field goal percentage of 39.3 while matching a low with 17 assists and committing a season-high 20 turnovers.
Brook Lopez and Shane Larkin were the only two Brooklyn players to shoot at least 50 percent while attempting more than four shots.
''That was a disappointing performance,'' coach Lionel Hollins said. ''I'm surprised that we put up a performance like that, but they had a lot to do with it on the other side.''
Thaddeus Young had averaged 23.0 points on 57.7 percent shooting in his previous three games but finished 7 of 17 for 14 points with 10 rebounds. Joe Johnson was held to 1-of-5 shooting for 3 points in a season-low 18 minutes.
''We played terrible," said Young. "That's the only thing you can say right now."