The Boston Celtics demonstrated their resilience at TD Garden on March 18, 2025, defeating the Brooklyn Nets 104-96 despite missing their star players Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The victory marked Boston’s ninth consecutive win against the Nets during the regular season, further emphasizing their dominance in this matchup.
Kristaps Porzingis, standing tall at 7-foot-3, had a commanding performance, finishing with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks. He showed his versatility by dominating both offensively and defensively, helping the Celtics maintain a lead in the crucial fourth quarter.
Baylor Scheierman, a rookie from Creighton, also shined under the bright lights of Boston. He scored a career-high 20 points, 13 of which came in a stellar fourth quarter. Scheierman’s accuracy from beyond the arc played a pivotal role in shifting momentum away from the Nets after they had led at various points in the game.
“They are a good team and they are playing for different goals, bigger goals,” admitted Nets coach Jordi Fernández after the game, acknowledging the challenge his team faced against a Celtics squad with championship-level aspirations.
The Celtics, now with a record of 50-19, relied heavily on their depth, embracing the challenge of competing without their usual stars. In contrast, the Nets continued to struggle with a record of 22-46, marking their eighth consecutive loss to the Celtics.
The game began with Brooklyn taking a solid early lead, establishing themselves with nine-point advantages at different moments in the first half. D'Angelo Russell led the Nets with 18 points, providing steady scoring as Brooklyn tried to maintain its offensive flow.
As the game progressed, the Celtics managed to regain control thanks to Porzingis’s inside presence and timely shooting from Scheierman. Following a buzzer-beater three-pointer from Scheierman, the Celtics headed into the fourth quarter with a narrow lead of 71-70.
In a thrilling turn, Scheierman hit multiple three-pointers in the fourth, forcing the Nets’ defense to scramble and creating openings for his teammates. One of the key moments was when he hit a pull-up three-pointer, extending Boston's lead to 84-80, holding off Brooklyn's attempts to rally.
“Scheierman made five 3s in the second half. That made a big difference,” Fernández acknowledged, emphasizing the impact of his shooting on the game’s outcome.
Porzingis capped off the game with an alley-oop dunk and critical mid-range shots, securing Boston’s lead in the closing moments and ultimately sealing the 104-96 victory.
Meanwhile, the Nets’ future remains uncertain as they strive to keep playoff aspirations alive, now lagging 6.5 games behind Miami and Chicago for the final two play-in spots. The team had shown promise in recent games, but their inability to secure victories has raised concerns among fans and analysts alike.
Following the game, Fernández noted, “Now, we’re playing a doubleheader with Indiana and we just have to move on to the next one.” The Nets will look to rebound against the Indiana Pacers in an upcoming game on March 20, 2025.
For the Nets, this season has been filled with both challenges and a chance for younger players like Keon Johnson and Day'Ron Sharpe to step into more prominent roles. Johnson has recently elevated his game, shooting at a remarkable 43.9% clip from three-point range over his last nine games, raising his season average to 30.7%.
As the season approaches its climax, the question remains: Can the Nets rally together to make a late-season push? Or will they falter as they have in recent matchups? Only time will tell as both teams navigate through the final weeks of the regular season.
With the Celtics gearing up for a six-game road trip starting against the Utah Jazz, they will carry the momentum of this win with them in search of the top playoff seeding. Meanwhile, Brooklyn faces a crucial stretch of games that could define their remaining season.
