Brooklyn Nets vs Boston Celtics Box Score on Dec 31, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 31, 2017

BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics ended their calendar year by holding off the feisty Brooklyn Nets 108-105 on Sunday.

The Nets, down by 14 points with 5:59 left, cut the deficit to three and had the ball after a timeout with 14.5 seconds to go, but Spencer Dinwiddie fired up a wild long-range bomb off the inbounds pass that didn't come close.

Kyrie Irving chased down the rebound and called time. He was fouled on the inbounds play and iced Boston's seventh straight win over Brooklyn, making two free throws, with the crowd breaking into an "M-V-P" chant before the second shot.

Irving registered his 11th straight 20-point game, scoring 28 and grabbing eight rebounds. The Celtics (30-10) used two second-half spurts to seemingly gain control of the game, but the Nets, ending a 1-4 road trip and falling to 13-23, wouldn't quit.

Boston made no field goals over the final 4:27, going 7 of 10 from the line for its points.

The Celtics, who failed to hold a 13-point first-half lead, trailed only once -- at 63-61 in the third quarter.

Boston went on a 12-2 run near the end of the third quarter and then, after Brooklyn bounced back again, using a 9-0 fourth-quarter spurt to again gain control.

Marcus Morris, who finished with 15 points off the Boston bench, scored the last five points of the first burst and hit a 3-pointer during the second.

However, the Celtics could not put the game completely out of reach.

The Nets twice got as close as five in the last two minutes. Allen Crabbe missed a 3-pointer that could have cut it to two.

Celtics reserve Terry Rozier had 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and Jaylen Brown scored 13 points. Al Horford had 10 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, and Aron Baynes contributed 10 boards.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the Nets with 22 points and 12 rebounds, Caris LeVert, playing his second straight strong game off the bench despite a hip pointer, had 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds, Quincy Acy scored 14 points, DeMarre Carroll and Crabbe both scored 12, Carroll grabbing seven rebounds, and Dinwiddie had 10 points and nine assists.

NOTES: The normally turnover prone Nets coughed it up only once in the first half. ... F Jaylen Brown (knee) returned to the Celtics' lineup after missing two games while F Semi Ojeleye (back) remained out but was improved. ... Nets coach Kenny Atkinson on his team: "Listen, I think like a lot of mediocre to below-average teams, we're searching for consistency. That's the magic sauce we're looking for." ... The Nets came in with the No. 2-scoring bench in the NBA. The Brooklyn bench outscored Boston's reserves 46=43. ... Brooklyn opens a five-game homestand against the Orlando Magic on Monday, while the Celtics host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.