Four takeaways as Celtics dominate Nets 139-96 for 10th straight win over Brooklyn

BOSTON — It wasn’t quite the same as their blowout victory over the Nets from last season, but the Celtics still dominated the Nets comfortably. Boston got out to a huge lead and never looked back in a 139-96 win over Brooklyn on Wednesday at TD Garden.

The victory marks the 10th straight time the C’s have defeated the Nets, including last season’s first-round sweep. Boston won its second straight game to improve to 37-15, keeping its other East foes from gaining ground.

There was plenty to like Wednesday for the Celtics as they sprinted out to a 46-16 lead after the first quarter. The 30-point advantage was the largest in franchise history following an opening quarter. The Nets did go on a run to start the second quarter, which prompted C’s coach Joe Mazzulla to call timeout.

But that was the last time the Celtics even broke a sweat as they comfortably led the rest of the game. The bench players kept adding to the hefty lead, too. While Boston’s shot-making impressed all night, the Celtics’ defense also held the Nets to 40.9% shooting.

Jayson Tatum poured in 31 points on 12-for-19 (7-for-12 from 3) shooting as he hit his first four shots from 3-point range. Jaylen Brown wasn’t far behind with 26 points. Derrick White added 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Kyrie Irving had 20 points, four rebounds and four assists for the Nets.

The Celtics take on the Suns at 7:30 p.m. Friday at TD Garden for their next game. Here are four takeaways from Boston’s win over Brooklyn:

Dominate like last season

The blowouts haven’t been as frequent as the second half of last season, when the C’s blitzed through the NBA on their way to the Finals. Wednesday’s win was so lopsided it reminded fans of the 28-2 start the Celtics had against the Nets last season in Brooklyn in what was another blowout win. It was more of those same vibes for the C’s as their lead peaked at 49 points Wednesday. The Nets’ defense couldn’t hang with the Celtics, and while the visitors made some shots, it wasn’t enough to overcome Boston’s play.

Shooting to the top

The Celtics have continually improved their defense this season to what’s now a top-5 ranking in the league. But when the C’s got out to their 21-5 start, they did so off a historically-great offense where the 3-pointers came easy. Boston has gotten away from relying on its shooting as much of late, leaning on that improving defense. But when the Celtics rain down 3-pointers, it’ll be difficult to beat them. That was the case Wednesday as the Celtics shot 48.1% (26-for-54) from 3 while the Nets hit just 23.1% of their long range looks.

Soaring for boards

Robert Williams III made his return from a brief absence, which forced him to miss the overtime win over the Lakers. That’s a great sign for the Celtics as Williams unlocks what they want to do defensively. The big man was also a force on the glass, finishing with five offensive rebounds (nine overall) and 16 points. His 7-for-8 shooting was also another plus as the Celtics were also able to keep his playing time low at 19 minutes.

Minutes down

With the Celtics blowing out the Nets right from tipoff, it gave Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla a great chance to keep his starters’ minutes down. Tatum only played 29 minutes while Al Horford was at 25. Brown (32 minutes) and Derrick White (31) both crossed over the 30-minute threshold, but the C’s didn’t need to play any of their starters in the fourth quarter. While the C’s are coming off a three-day break, it’s always smart to avoid overworking players over the course of a long season.

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