Celtics 110, Nets 91: Evan Turner collected 19 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds for his second career triple-double to lead visiting Boston past Brooklyn.
Avery Bradley scored 20 points and Kelly Olynyk and Tyler Zeller added 18 apiece for the Celtics, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Brandon Bass contributed 12 points and Jonas Jerebko added 10 as Boston moved a half-game ahead of Charlotte for the final playoff spot in the East.
Brook Lopez scored 31 points to pass Kerry Kittles as the fifth-highest scorer in Nets NBA history, but Brooklyn went 1-of-17 from 3-point range. Thaddeus Young had 12 points and nine rebounds and Deron Williams tallied 10 points, 10 assists and nine boards.
Boston's lead never dipped below five points in the second half, and Jae Crowder's three-point play and Olynyk's triple in the final minute of the third quarter helped the Celtics take an 83-74 lead to the fourth. Brooklyn never threatened in the final period, going 6-of-19 from the field.
The Nets led by as many as seven points in the first quarter, but Olynyk scored just before the buzzer and the Celtics scored seven straight points to open the second to take a 30-28 lead. Olynyk beat the buzzer again with a 3-pointer that sent Boston to halftime with a 54-49 advantage.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Nets weren't whistled for a foul until Young picked up one with six seconds left in the first quarter. … Lopez is the first Nets player to score 25 or more points in three consecutive games since Williams did so during the 2012-13 season. … Boston improved to 8-1 in the second game of back-to-back sets this season and has won five straight.
Boston | Brooklyn | |
Avery Bradley 20 | Scoring | Brook Lopez 31 |
Evan Turner 12 | Assists | Deron Williams 10 |
Evan Turner 10 | Rebounds | Deron Williams 9 |
Brandon Bass 4 | Free Throws Made | Brook Lopez 7 |
Brandon Bass 2 | Steals | Deron Williams 2 |
Jae Crowder 1 | Blocks | Brook Lopez 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Boston | 110 | 51.1 | 6-22 | 10-14 | 25 | 47 | 4 | 7 | 10 |
Brooklyn | 91 | 36.0 | 1-17 | 26-30 | 15 | 48 | 5 | 7 | 12 |