RECAP – FINAL: #Celtics 98 – #Nets 114
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The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Boston Celtics by a score of 114-98 in Brooklyn.
The Nets went right to work with 10 points in the paint early with Mason “The Plumber” Plumlee finishing with three flushes and a 17-15 early Nets lead. Brooklyn gave up six offensive rebounds early and the Celtics took advantage with put backs. Joe Johnson and Plumlee led the Nets with eight points each in a 34-28 Nets lead after one shooting 68 percent.
Avery Bradley got hot and scored 13 straight points and 18 total in the quarter to bring the Celtics back at 41-41. The Nets responded with an 11-2 run behind more Plumlee dunks and good defense. Bradley was unconscious in the first half with 23 points to keep any hopes the Celtics had for a win alive.
Plumlee finished the half with 14 points and Johnson with 11 points to lead Nets to 64-54 halftime lead.
Brooklyn came out shooting well behind Johnson in the third and took a 79-63 lead midway through. Johnson hit for 16 points, including three 3-pointers, in third to give Brooklyn a commanding 92-76 lead after three quarters of play.
Brooklyn’s starters took the night off in the fourth as the bench kept the Celtics at bay to runaway with the win 114-98.
The Nets bench scored were 45 points to the Celtics 21 points.
Brooklyn also hit for a season-high 62 points in the paint and had 30 assists to
Mason Plumlee (18 points) has now scored in double figures in 3 straight games for the 1st time this season.
Joe Johnson broke the game open and scored 27 points on 101-for-16 shooting and 6-for-8 from the 3-point range. Joe Cool is finding his stroke.
NUMBERS:
The Nets’ 64 points in the 1st half are the 2nd-most they’ve scored in a 1st half this season (65 points 1/16 at Atlanta in London).
Johnson has made 6+ three-pointers for the 4th time this season. All other Nets have combined for 5 games of 6+ three-pointers.
“For us it’s taking one game at a time, on the road or at home.” – Jason Kidd postgame.
“It’s those guys in that locker room,” Kidd said afterward. “As a group, we trust each other from top to bottom. From Billy, from our owner, all the way down to our ball boys.
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KEY STATS: The Nets 62 points in the paint were a season-high and they held Boston to 42 percent shooting for the game.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Mason Plumlee missed just one shot, going 6-for-7 from the field and 6-for-6 from the foul line. He ended up with 18 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
NEXT UP: The Nets will be back in action Sunday night when they travel to play the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas. The game can be seen on YES at 7:30.
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