BOSTON — In a matchup between two depleted rosters, the Boston Celtics used an impressive effort from rookie guard Terry Rozier to fend off the Brooklyn Nets and secure a 111-105 preseason win.
Isaiah Thomas (soreness), Jae Crowder (thumb) and David Lee (illness) all sat out for Boston, while the Nets were without Joe Johnson, Jarrett Jack, Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young.
Five Celtics finished the contest in double figures, with Rozier leading the way with 16 points. Amir Johnson put forth another strong effort with 15 points, while Evan Turner fell just shy of a triple-double with 10 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
STARTING FIVE
Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, Evan Turner, Amir Johnson, Tyler Zeller
STAR OF THE GAME
Terry Rozier.
The Celtics rookie was the leader on the score sheet and clearly was the most exciting player in the building. Rozier received a lion’s share of minutes (28) after missing both the Celtics’ preseason games last week and made several dazzling plays at both ends of the floor.
In addition to his 16 points, the 21-year-old tallied four rebounds, six assists and a team-high four steals.
PLAYING SMART?
Marcus Smart had plenty of energy after missing Boston’s two previous games. He tallied four quick points and three assists in the first quarter and finished the game with nine points, four assists and two rebounds, one of which came on this impressive put-back slam:
Smart also excelled on defense but committed a pair of careless turnovers in the first quarter, which is something he’ll need to work on going forward.
ZERO TO 100, REAL QUICK
Rozier showcased some of the incredible quickness he was known for at Louisville.
The rookie guard brought plenty of energy, bringing the crowd to its feet with a monster dunk attempt that drew a foul in the first quarter.
He also flashed some nice footwork on this pull-up jumper:
ROTATION WATCH
Two young Celtics on the fringe of Boston’s roster didn’t see the court too much. But they made the most of their opportunities when they did.
Forward Jordan Mickey and guard James Young both didn’t enter the game until the second half and played eight and 13 minutes, respectively.
Yet Young knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth that helped the Celtics stay on top, while Mickey made several impressive plays down the stretch, including this big swat:
UP NEXT
The Celtics are back at TD Garden on Thursday night, where they’ll take on the New York Knicks for the second time this preseason. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
