Nets player grades: D'Angelo Russell has 18 in 104-96 loss at Celtics

The Brooklyn Nets (23-46) had to be feeling good about themselves following Sunday's win over Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks prior to going on a road trip to face two solid teams. In Tuesday's matchup at the Boston Celtics (50-19), Brooklyn had a solid chance of coming away with the upset thanks to the absence of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but Boston's other players had other ideas.

The Nets lost at the Celtics 104-96 in a game that was back-and-forth throughout thanks to another game with uneven halves for Brooklyn. D'Angelo Russell had 18 points and seven assists to lead the Nets, but he also shot just 6-for-18 from the field, including 4-of-13 from three-point land. Ziaire Williams had 15 points while Keon Johnson had 13 points.

Brooklyn looked to be somewhat in control of this game thanks to how well they were defending players like Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, but players like Kristaps Porzingis (25 points, 13 rebounds) and Baylor Scheierman (20 points) were not to be denied. Here are the Nets player grades following Tuesday's loss at the Celtics:

D'Angelo Russell: C+

Russell had one of his worst shooting games since coming to the Nets, especially from behind the three-point line, as he couldn't buy a bucket against one of the best defenses in the NBA in the Celtics. Russell has not been shooting the ball efficiently since coming to Brooklyn, but he has had moments where he heats up to lead the offense with his shotmaking. Russell did a little bit of everything as he got dirty in the rebounding side of the game and he passed the ball well without turning it over too much, but his shooting left a lot to be desired.

Keon Johnson: B

Johnson has had better game shooting the ball, but the good thing to see was that he continued being aggressive despite missing some shots that he normally makes. Johnson did a good job of shooting the ball from long-range and as a result, spreading the defense as much as possible. Johnson committed more fouls than he usually does, but with the way the Celtics spread the floor, it's hard to defend without fouling.

Cam Johnson: C+

Johnson did not shoot the ball well from deep, but he made up for that by doing some work in the mid-range, especially with his improved ability to get to the rim. Johnson has had some games recently where he hasn't been shooting the ball and that could come from the increased responsibility in the ball-handling department, but even with that, Johnson did a good job of picking his spots while setting up his teammates nicely.

Ziaire Williams: B-

Williams did a good job of scoring the ball overall as it seems like he is putting it together with the way that he's shooting the ball from three-point land along with his willingness to take the ball to the basket on the fastbreak. Williams did a decent job of getting on the boards and he played some solid defense against a Boston team that is tough to defend even without Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Nic Claxton: C+

Claxton has had some underwhelming performances lately, but it seems like this game was one where he seemed more engaged, even if it doesn't show up in the stat sheet. Claxton is not particularly involved in the offensive structure of the Nets' offense in terms of plays designed for him, but he does a good job of staying in the game despite not being as involved. Claxton did a solid job of rebounding and passing the ball as well.

Trendon Watford: B-

Watford had one of his better games in awhile as he had his driving game working no matter who was defending him outside of Jrue Holiday, for obvious reasons. Watford has struggled in the past against teams with length at the rim waiting for him to drive, but with the Nets shooting the ball well enough, the lane was open for Watford to drive without having to worry about that second defender as often.

Jalen Wilson: F

Wilson did not play much in this one as it seemed that head coach Jordi Fernandez was trying to play lineups on the floor that didn't involve Wilson for matchup purposes. Wilson did not shoot the ball well, but it looks like defense was the issue, especially once Boston went away from playing two big men in the lineup, leaving Wilson to guard someone quicker than him and Fernandez decided not to go that route.

Maxwell Lewis: C-

Lewis saw some extra playing time in this one thanks to how well he has played recently, but his shooting did not carry over to Boston as he couldn't buy a bucket. Lewis' offensive juice has been pleasant to see, especially for a player that was towards the bottom of the rotation until some injuries gave him a chance to prove himself. As he normally does, Lewis will bring energy on the floor and he did the little things like hustling to get on the glass.

Noah Clowney: D

Clowney returned after missing the past three games with a right ankle sprain and he didn't look good in terms of shooting the basketball. Clowney has had games this season where he couldn't miss from three-point land, but this was not one of those games as he just didn't develop a rhythm all game long.

Day'Ron Sharpe: B

Sharpe played well coming off the bench as he was unstoppable on the interior with his strength and patience to allow himself time to gather before going up strong on most of his attempts. Sharpe had some great moments in this like, such as when he blocked a shot on one end and then hit his long three-pointer on the other end, showing how much he has improved this season.

Tyrese Martin: B

Martin was another one of the players that had a solid performance coming off the bench as he played within his role and only taking the good shots that came his way. Martin did not light up the stat sheet in any way, but he was solid in everything that he did while looking more composed as one of the ball-handlers on the team.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets player grades: D'Angelo Russell has 18 in 104-96 loss at Celtics

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