The first time the Brooklyn Nets faced the Boston Celtics, the circumstances were less than ideal. Not only was it the second night of a cross-city back-to-back, but the Nets were missing Nic Claxton, Ben Simmons, and Cam Johnson.
For their second matchup on Friday night, little had changed. Nic Claxton and Ben Simmons (this time with a new, hip injury) were sidelined, and the good news of Cam Johnson’s return after a seven-game absence was offset by the absence of the other Cam, Thomas, who had scored 27 against Boston in that first game.