Charles Lee won a championship as the lead assistant on Joe Mazzulla's staff with the Boston Celtics last season. When Lee left to become the coach of the Charlotte Hornets, Mazzulla informed Lee that he was now the "enemy" and shouldn't expect to chat like they did when they were on the same side.

Friendships between NBA stars from different teams are far more common today than they were a generation ago. Does the same apply to NBA coaches? Not for Joe Mazzulla. The Boston Celtics head coach explained Friday that he’s cordial with and respectful of his counterparts from other clubs.

The Celtics will play their second game in as many days when they visit the Nets on Wednesday night. You could have argued that this is a potential letdown spot for the Celtics after their In-Season Tournament home opener against the Hawks, but Boston lost in a stunner Tuesday.

Analyzing Friday’s Brooklyn Nets at New York Knicks odds and lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

The Nets are coming off a 139-114 loss to the Celtics in which Brooklyn played winning basketball in the first half of the game before the team dropped the ball in the final 24 minutes. With forward Dorian Finney-Smith missing the contest due to a left ankle sprain,