Celtics hold off Nets for 30th win of season

LOS ANGELES – Agence France-Presse

The Boston Celtics rang in a new year on Dec. 31 with a 108-105 victory over the Brooklyn Nets that recalled glorious years gone by.

The hard-fought victory over a determined Nets team saw the Celtics improve to 30-10 -- the earliest date since the 1964-65 season that Boston have piled up 30 victories.

It was the third-earliest arrival at 30 victories in Celtics history. The 1959-60 team got there on Dec. 28, the 1964-65 squad on Dec. 30.

Both of those teams went on to win the NBA title.

The Eastern Conference-leading Celtics had to work for win number 30.

Brooklyn, trailing by 14 points with 5:59 remaining, trimmed the deficit to three and had the ball after a timeout with 14.5 seconds remaining.

But Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie let loose a long-range effort off the inbounds pass that missed by a mile.

“I think it was open, I think he could’ve gotten closer,” Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I think if he curled it tighter, that was the play for him to come off that screen. ... I think they botched a switch or whatever and he came off. Even so, it was longer than we wanted but it was an open catch and shoot.”

Boston guard Kyrie Irving chased down the rebound and called timeout. He was fouled on the inbounds play and sealed Boston’s seventh straight win over the Nets with two free throws as chants of “M-V-P” rained on him.
Irving posted his 11th straight 20-point game, scoring 28 and pulling down eight rebounds.

Next up for the Celtics is a marquee matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 3.

The Cavs traded Irving to the Celtics prior to the season in a deal that brought point guard Isaiah Thomas to Cleveland.

Thomas has been sidelined all season with a hip injury incurred playing for Boston last season, and it’s not clear if he’ll take the floor against his old team.

But Celtics coach Brad Stevens said the Cavs team led by four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James will be a formidable test.

“Really, really tough task, obviously,” Stevens said. “They’ve had everybody’s number in the East for a couple of years now, and we’re amongst that list. So we’ll see.”