Celtics Outlast Nets In Double Overtime Brooklyn Thriller

Friday night at Barclays Center delivered a heart-pounding NBA showdown as the Boston Celtics edged the Brooklyn Nets 130-126 in a double-overtime thriller, cementing their status as road warriors and giving fans a game to remember. With both teams coming off dramatically different previous outings—the Celtics fresh from a solid win over Indiana and the Nets licking their wounds after a blowout loss to the Knicks—the stage was set for a fierce battle, and neither squad disappointed.

The Celtics entered the contest with some lineup questions. Neemias Queta, their starting center, had been listed as questionable earlier in the day due to a non-Covid illness. However, Boston fans breathed a sigh of relief when Queta was upgraded to available shortly before tip-off. Queta's impact this season has been undeniable: he’s averaging 10.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and nearly a steal per game. His rim protection has forced opponents to shoot 10.7 percent worse around the basket, a mark good for the 83rd percentile, according to databallr.com. Just days earlier, he swatted five shots in Boston’s win over the Pacers—proof of his growing defensive discipline and athletic prowess.

Still, the Celtics were not at full strength. Derrick White, the team’s iron man in terms of minutes played, was given a well-deserved night off for rest. White leads the Celtics in total minutes this season, outpacing even Payton Pritchard. Also sidelined was Josh Minott, who continued to nurse a left ankle sprain, marking his tenth straight missed game. Minott, a fourth-year wing, has provided efficient production when healthy, averaging 6.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and nearly a steal per contest while shooting over 50 percent from the field.

As the ball went up at 7:30 p.m. EST, the Nets looked determined to put their previous humiliation behind them. "Just bounce back," Michael Porter Jr. had said at practice. His coach, Jordi Fernández, echoed the sentiment: "It’s about how you respond… you don’t like to feel embarrassed. It was a tough feeling, but we were out there together and the best thing you can do is watch some film, talk to each other, get some work done this morning, do it again and go out there and respond as a group." Respond they did.

The opening quarter saw Brooklyn’s rookie backcourt of Egor Dëmin and Drake Powell combine for 12 points, injecting early energy into the Barclays crowd. Boston countered with crisp ball movement, assisting on seven of their first ten made field goals, but the Nets’ defense held Jaylen Brown to just 2-of-7 shooting to start. By the end of the first, the teams were tied, setting the tone for the back-and-forth drama to come.

Brooklyn surged ahead in the second quarter, outscoring the Celtics on fast breaks and riding the hot hand of Nolan Traore, who tallied seven points in under seven minutes. Porter Jr. rebounded from a poor showing against the Knicks by leading the Nets at halftime with 13 points, while Nic Claxton contributed on both ends with six points, two assists, and two blocks. "They kept going at me," Claxton said postgame. "They kept trying to isolate me, so that’s good… we just forced tough shots for him down the stretch." Brooklyn entered the half leading 55-49.

The Celtics, however, refused to go away. They clawed back in the third quarter, with rookie Hugo Gonzalez making a key defensive play and fast-break layup to nudge Boston ahead briefly. Brooklyn recovered to take an 81-78 lead into the fourth, but the Celtics’ resilience was on full display.

The fourth quarter was a grind, with both teams hustling for second-chance points and defensive stops. Traore, who finished with a career-high 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting (including 2-of-4 from deep), continued his impressive rise since joining the Nets. "His ability to touch the paint and how slippery he is, that was the reason why I put him there," coach Fernández explained. With less than a minute to go, the Nets closed the gap to just one point, and Claxton’s put-back sent the game to overtime.

Overtime brought more fireworks. Both squads struggled to score early, but Brooklyn seized a late lead thanks to a clutch three from Noah Clowney and some timely free throws from Traore and Ziaire Williams. Yet, Payton Pritchard—thrust into a leading role with White out—kept Boston alive with a quick strike three. Traore had a chance to ice the game at the line but went one of two, giving Boston the ball, down three, with 2.5 seconds to play.

Enter Hugo Gonzalez. The rookie, who had fought through early mistakes, found himself wide open in the corner after a clever inbound play by coach Joe Mazzulla. Baylor Scheierman delivered the pass, and Gonzalez calmly drained the game-tying three-pointer as time expired in the first overtime. "He was just wide open," a bewildered Claxton said postgame. "He hit the shot… I guess I’m confused. I gotta watch it. I’m confused. I don’t know how it got so open. That’s in the corner. I don’t know. I don’t know. I can’t give you an answer for that."

The second overtime belonged to Boston. Pritchard, who led all scorers with 32 points, and Brown, who finished with a triple-double (27 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists), made key buckets. Gonzalez added seven rebounds to his 10 points, including that unforgettable three. Brooklyn’s Porter Jr. poured in 30 points with eight boards, while Claxton finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, and four assists despite a sore pinky that would require further evaluation.

By the final buzzer, the Celtics had improved to 28-16, grabbing sole possession of second place in the Eastern Conference and extending their road win streak in Brooklyn to ten games. The Nets, now 12-31, showed marked improvement and grit but couldn’t quite close the deal. "I’m proud of the basketball we played, the competitiveness," Fernández said. "We got better today, and that’s what’s most important."

Looking ahead, Boston faces the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, the second game of a back-to-back. With Derrick White expected to return, the Celtics may need to manage minutes carefully after their double-overtime marathon. The Nets, meanwhile, will regroup and prepare for a Sunday night matchup against the resurgent Los Angeles Clippers. The Barclays Center crowd may not have witnessed a home win, but they certainly got their money’s worth in a game packed with drama, heroics, and no shortage of heart.