Celtics best Nets 113-99

Jaylen Brown notched 29 points, Payton Pritchard delivered a gritty 22-point, 10-rebound double-double, and the Boston Celtics clamped down defensively in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Brooklyn Nets 113–99 on Tuesday night — finally pushing above .500 for the first time this season.

Derrick White added 15 points as Boston (8–7) notched its third straight win. The Celtics battled the Nets on even terms for three quarters before suffocating Brooklyn in the final period, allowing just one field goal over the first 10 minutes.

Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 25 points, marking his career-best seventh straight 20-point outing. But after his three-pointer put Brooklyn ahead 90–89 with 9:08 to play, the Nets went ice-cold, failing to hit another basket until the clock dipped under two minutes. Day’Ron Sharpe added 16 points for Brooklyn, which fell to 2–12 overall and 0–7 at home.

The Celtics, who opened the year 0–3 before alternating streaks, hadn’t climbed above .500 until Sunday’s win over the Clippers. They carried that momentum into Tuesday’s matchup. Porter scored 18 by halftime, and Pritchard countered with 17 as the teams combined for a barrage of long-range shooting — 21 threes between them — with Boston taking a narrow 62–61 advantage into the break.

Brown helped Boston seize control midway through the third, finishing an 8–0 burst with a three-point play and a corner three to open a 75–65 cushion. Brooklyn clawed back to within one before Brown knocked down another triple to give the Celtics an 89–85 lead heading into the fourth.

Boston’s relentless energy on the offensive glass helped break the Nets late. Leading 97–92, the Celtics grabbed three straight offensive rebounds, resulting in White’s first of back-to-back threes. Brown later buried a dagger triple with 2:55 remaining, capping an 18–3 run that pushed the lead to 107–93 and sealed the win.

Up Next:

The teams meet again Friday night in Boston.