Tatum is the reason Boston isn't 0-2. He went 6-for-23 for 13 points in that Detroit opener. Against the Knicks he came back with 36 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals on 14-of-26 shooting, and he scored 3 straight buckets late to close out a 107-103 win. The question NBA.com raised that night is the one the Nets should go after: without Brown, who takes the ball in crunch time when Tatum is covered?
For Brooklyn, the night depends on how many minutes Mikel Brown Jr. gets. Brown, the No. 6 pick, missed the start of camp with an ankle sprain, came off the bench in the opener and is on a minutes restriction. Jordi Fernandez said it won't be lifted "anytime soon" and that Brown can't play back-to-backs yet. That's why he sat against Indiana. Tuesday isn't a back-to-back for the Nets, so Brown should be back in the rotation. Tyler Bilodeau's shoulder is the open question. He sat out the Pacers game, and the Nets have been short on frontcourt bodies without him.
Boston has its own hole in the backcourt. Devin Carter has mono and no timetable to return, so the guard rotation is thinner than Mazzulla wants on the second night of a back-to-back. Brooklyn's scores against Charlotte and Cleveland show it can stay in a game with fresh legs. The Celtics still have the best player on the floor, and he's playing at home. Watch Monday's Bulls game for 2 things before this one: how many minutes Tatum and George play, and whether Boston has to work late to win it.