Nets Hold Off Celtics 111-101

(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

(NEW YORK) –  Maybe the Brooklyn Nets can compete with some of the better teams in the NBA, after all.

Less than two days after being embarrassed in Boston, the Nets rallied to defeat the Celtics 111-101 on Sunday evening at Barclays Center, earning a split in their weekend home-and-home series.  The Nets were led by Brook Lopez and energizing rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.  Lopez finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Hollis-Jefferson had nine points, seven rebounds, five assists, and five steals.  The five takeaways are the most by any rookie in the NBA this season.

The Celtics destroyed the Nets (3-11), 120-95 on Friday night in Boston, and Brooklyn will forfeit their unprotected first-round draft pick to their division rivals next June, so a win of this magnitude is huge for them.  They needed to make a stand, and prove to themselves that they can be a competitive team this season.  After struggling in many of their close games, the Nets took control of this one right from the start, outscoring Boston 35-23 in the second quarter.  Their lead ballooned to as much as 23 in the first half, which saw them head into the intermission up 59-42.

Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley led the Celtics (7-6) with 27 points each.  Thomas engineered a second half run that saw the Nets’ lead trickle down to just four points in the final quarter.  Jarrett Jack (22 points) hit a couple of key jumpers down the stretch that helped Brooklyn hang on for the win.

Believe it or not, but the Nets were playing in just their fifth home game of the season, and are now 2-3 at Barclays Center.  They began the 2015-16 campaign with 11 of their first 16 games on the road, and are almost finished with that tough stretch.  Nonetheless, they hit the road again to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.