Andray Blatche to start at PF vs. Celtics

Contrary to earlier projections, Brooklyn Nets backup forward/center Andray Blatche will start in place of Kevin Garnett, rather than Reggie Evans. Blatche joins Shaun Livingston, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, and Brook Lopez in the team’s preseason starting five.

Blatche & Lopez is an intriguing combo: the two did serious damage in brief stints together last year and even had one weird writer advocating for Andray Blatche to start over Evans in the playoffs. But considering the relationship Garnett has with Evans (a great one) and the relationship Garnett has with Blatche (a, well, this one), the veteran getting his night off can’t be too happy.