Nets 88, Celtics 79
Brook Lopez scored 20 points, and Kris Humphries collected 16 points and 15 rebounds as the New Jersey Nets extended their season-high winning streak to five games with a 88-79 victory over the visiting Boston Celtics on Monday.
Deron Williams added 16 points and nine assists, and Anthony Morrow scored 15 for the Nets (22-43).
The Celtics (47-18), who held the Milwaukee Bucks to a franchise-low 56 points in a win on Sunday, slipped back into a tie for first in the Eastern Conference with the Chicago Bulls.
New Jersey made its move near the end of the third quarter with a pair of 3-pointers in the final 34 seconds to take a 67-61 lead into the fourth. The Nets extended the run to pull ahead by as many as 12 points, 74-62, with 9:33 left.
Boston chipped away and got as close as 81-79 with less than two two minutes left, but Rajon Rondo missed the jumper that would have tied it following a timeout with 1:35 left.
Lopez nailed a hook shot and Williams drained a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions to seal it for New Jersey.
Ray Allen scored 19 points and Kevin Garnett added 18 for the Celtics.