NEW YORK — If playing on Christmas Day were based on this season’s record, the Celtics likely would not have been chosen to participate. They enter Tuesday’s game against the Nets in Brooklyn with a 13-13 record, and their maddening inconsistency and series of disappointing defeats almost certainly will be discussed in front of a national television audience.

The uniforms may be the same, and some of the players may resemble those you recall from previous seasons, but these are not the same Celtics who would walk into opposing arenas and impose their will on opponents. Those teams would relish the visiting atmosphere, soak in the adulation from the handful of fans in green behind their bench, and notch victories.