Nets still haven’t forgotten their historic Celtics embarrassment: ‘Kicked our ass’

Heading into nan Nets’ toughest trial yet, Dorian Finney-Smith hasn’t grounded to punctual nan squad of really it felt aft nan last gathering pinch Boston past season.

The Nets had back-to-back dates Feb. 13 and 14 pinch nan Celtics conscionable up of nan All-Star break.

They were 21-31 heading into first crippled of nan set, and their play was successful a downward spiral pinch playoff hopes dwindling.

The first crippled saw nan Nets enactment competitory against nan eventual NBA champs, losing by 8 points.

However, nan margin successful nan 2nd crippled was 50, nan second-worst nonaccomplishment successful franchise history, and caput coach Jacque Vaughn was fired days later, connected Feb. 19.

Finney-Smith said he told a mates of teammates astir nan experience, chiefly astir “how bad they kicked our ass,” arsenic he said aft believe Thursday.

The nine-year seasoned guardant doesn’t want to consciousness that measurement again arsenic nan Nets footwear disconnected a three-game roadworthy travel Friday that will characteristic back-to-back games against nan Celtics (7-2) and undefeated Cavaliers (9-0), followed by nan Pelicans (3-6) connected Monday.

“Yeah, but they’ve been beating nan s–t retired of a batch of people,” Finney-Smith said astir whether nan historical nonaccomplishment still resonates pinch immoderate players. “I deliberation that was disconnected a back-to-back correct earlier nan All-Star break. [There were] a batch of things going connected past year, but nary of that matters. Got a full caller team, a full caller system. But yeah, I decidedly said astir it because that was astir apt nan craziest crippled I’ve been a portion of and conscionable because we played them truthful good nan nighttime earlier and they conscionable sewage america retired of there. They [have] shooters, sewage a bunch of shooting, [going to] sprout a bunch of threes. They’re going to clang nan glass. It’s going to beryllium a bully game. A awesome challenge. … It’s complete with. We trying to get this triumph tomorrow.”

The Nets were 0-4 against nan Celtics past season, and nan Celtics will correspond nan team’s toughest situation frankincense far.

“Their crowd [is] successful it. Boston fans, they loyal,” Finney-Smith said. “And they a humanities organization. So, they [are going to] beryllium there. They get large successful there. But I consciousness for illustration that’s erstwhile we travel adjacent arsenic a team, erstwhile we connected nan road.”

Not only do nan Nets look nan Celtics connected Friday, but they meet again astatine Barclays Center conscionable 4 days later.

They are gathering nan Celtics successful a amended spot this time.

The Nets (4-4) beryllium tied pinch nan Pacers successful 3rd spot successful nan East down nan Celtics and Cavaliers.

The Nets astir person a cleanable measure of wellness arsenic Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton practiced Thursday aft nan 2 had taken games disconnected for load guidance connected their respective backmost and hamstring injuries.

They’re besides arriving successful Boston pinch 3 disconnected days nether their loop aft playing 5 games successful a seven-day span.

Yet, their schedule frankincense acold has been light, pinch nan toughest force apt being nan Nuggets (5-3), a crippled they mislaid successful overtime, 144-139.

“It’s still early. You can’t really spell by that now,” Finney-Smith said erstwhile asked if nan Nets are earning respect astir nan league. “We’ll spot successful January. You tin inquire maine that mobility then.”

Although they’re connected an upswing and person proven to person a caller spark successful winning nan 2nd crippled of each of nan 2 back-to-back bid they person endured, nan Nets are not preparing for nan defending champions immoderate differently.

“We decidedly person to spell 1 crippled astatine a time,” caput coach Jordi Fernandez said Thursday. “We don’t request to deliberation astir nan back-to-back, per se. We person to deliberation astir Boston. And since they won nan NBA title past year, I deliberation we should beryllium excited capable to spell play that team.”

Fernandez said Thursday he sees a early lineup pinch Claxton and Simmons together.

Simmons has been starting astatine halfway while Claxton was dealing pinch nan lingering effects of a hamstring wounded from nan preseason.

Simmons has besides been resting connected nan extremity of back-to-back games and rested Monday successful what was Claxton’s first play start.

The 2 haven’t spent overmuch clip connected nan tribunal together, logging conscionable 8 minutes this season, but are a plus-12.

“Sure, yeah. Right now, pinch nan limitations arsenic acold arsenic for illustration wellness and minutes, we haven’t been capable to, but we could for judge spot it,” Fernandez said. “Right now, nan squad has been competing well. The groups that person been put together person worked, truthful I’m not saying that this is nan only point we will do, but I’m unfastened to effort different groups.”

Trendon Watford (hamstring) will not play connected nan Nets’ roadworthy travel but will recreation pinch nan team.

Fernandez clarified that it is nan aforesaid hamstring wounded that Watford suffered connected nan 2nd time of training camp.

He was antecedently listed arsenic disposable Nov. 1 up of nan Chicago crippled but later was downgraded to retired aft aggravating it during warm-ups.

Noah Clowney is listed arsenic questionable aft he missed believe Thursday owed to an illness.

He will besides recreation pinch nan team.

The second-year guardant missed Monday’s crippled against nan Grizzlies owed to a hep injury.