After a day off for Thanksgiving, the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins were right back at it on Friday afternoon with matinee Black Friday games. The Celtics had a rematch against Wednesdays opponent in Brooklyn against the Nets, while the Bruins hosted an original six matchup against the New York Rangers.
Much like Wednesday against Brooklyn, the Celtics fell behind in the second quarter against the Nets but this time couldn’t recover in a 112-107 loss at the Barclays Center.
Brooklyn (10-9) controlled the play from the start eventually building a 14 point first quarter lead on a Iman Shumpert three-pointer with 2:25 left. Boston got within seven before the quarter end scoring nine of the final 11 points to make it 31-24. The Celtics took a brief lead and only lead of the game at 37-36 when Jayson Tatum knocked in a pair of three-pointers and Marcus Smart hit a pair from the line halfway through the second. The Nets regained control and an 11 point lead when Dzanan Musa hit a three-pointer to cap off a 20-8 run. A Smart layup and two more from the three-point line by Tatum made it a three point game at the break.
The hosts would push it again to a 14 point lead in the third quarter, but the visiting Celtics wouldn’t go away cutting it to six headed to the fourth quarter. An alley oop dunk by DeAndre Jordan gave the home team their largest lead of the day with a 15-6 run to make it 102-87 with just over seven minutes left. Boston got within four late in the final minute but couldn’t come all the way back in falling to 13-5 on the season.
Tatum led the Celtics with 26 points, nine rebounds, and four steals. Kemba Walker had 17 points, five rebounds, and six assists. Smart ended with 15 points, while both Brad Wanamaker and Enes Kanter both also got into double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively. Spencer Dinwiddie led all scorers and filled up the stat sheet in the Nets win. Dinwiddie finished with 32 points (6-8 three-pointers), five rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, and two blocks. Boston will travel to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
At the TD Garden, the Bruins overcame a two goal deficit to extend their winning streak to six games and to stay unbeaten at home in regulation so far this season with a 3-2 overtime victory over the New York Rangers. Boston now has the best record in the NHL (18-3-5).
Just after the first powerplay of the game for the Rangers expired in a scoreless first period, Pavel Buchnevich put New York ahead. Buchnevich took a pass from Tony DeAngelo near the bottom of the left faceoff circle to the right of Boston goalie Jaroslav Halak and scored on a quick wrist shot at 14:14. A turnover by Boston doubled the lead in the second for the Rangers. Artemi Panarin intercepted a pass at the Bruins blue line and got it to Ryan Strome for a shot that was kicked out by Halak but right on the stick of Filip Chytil in the slot. Chytil buried the rebound at 6:21 to make it 2-0. The visitors had a chance to extend the lead with a 5 on 3 powerplay with 6:09 left in the second but came up empty. Boston got on the board to cut the lead in half at 18:28. Jake Debrusk carried the puck around the net and out to the blue line right to left and let a shot go that was tipped in by Sean Kuraly.
The NHL goals leader had a hand in the next two goals to lead the Bruins to the comeback win in the third period. Debrusk got to a loose puck behind the net and backhanded a feed to David Pastrnak who was standing in the left faceoff circle to the right of New York goalie Hendrik Lundquist. Pastrnaks quick shot found the net at 4:27, his league leading 24th goal to make it 2-2. New York (12-9-3) later had a chance with a four minute powerplay when Par Lindholm was called for a double minor for high sticking with just over seven minutes left. Boston though kept them off the board and the game went to overtime, allowing the Bruins to stay undefeated in regulation at home so far this season (10-0-4). Pastrnak made an incredible play to end the game in the extra session. He took a feed at center ice and busted in down the right wing, deeking in between two Rangers defenseman to below the right faceoff circle. Instead of shooting, Pastrnak dangled a backhanded pass to a wide open David Krejci in the slot who easily deposited the puck into the net past an out of position Lundquist at 1:40.
Halak made 26 saves in the win for Boston, while Lundquist made 24 in the loss. Krejci and Pastrnak both had a goal and an assist, while Debrusk also added two points with two assists on the day. The Rangers went 0-6 on the powerplay, while the Bruins were 0-1. Boston will host their arch-rival Montreal Canadiens on Sunday evening at 7 p.m. The Bruins won the last meeting in Montreal on Tuesday 8-1.
