The Boston Celtics will look to continue their dominance over the visiting Brooklyn Nets when the teams meet Tuesday night.
Boston has won 13 of its last 14 games against Brooklyn, including a 115-113 victory at Brooklyn on Saturday. The Celtics are 3-0 against the Nets this season.
Kristaps Porzingis returned to the court Saturday after missing eight games with a viral illness and scored 14 of his team-high 24 points in the fourth quarter.
“I haven’t been this sick, probably ever, in my life,” Porzingis said. “I was not feeling in shape yet, but in these kinds of moments you’ve got to bite down and bring something from deep.”
The Celtics, who trail only Cleveland in the Eastern Conference standings, needed a big effort from Porzingis since they played without Al Horford (toe) and Derrick White (knee). Jaylen Brown also left the game with back spasms midway through the third quarter and didn’t return; he is listed as out for Tuesday’s matchup.
Porzingis played 32 minutes and was 9 of 16 from the field.
“It shows the skill-set he has — he’s a unicorn,” Boston’s Payton Pritchard said. “An unreal player. When we have him, we’re even more dangerous.”
Boston beat Brooklyn 108-104 in overtime at home Nov. 8, then prevailed 139-114 at Brooklyn on Nov. 13.
The Nets lost to the Celtics on Saturday despite shooting 20-of-46 (43.5 percent) from 3-point territory.
Brooklyn ended a three-game losing streak by beating Atlanta 122-114 on Sunday, but the Nets have a 2-10 record in their last 12 games and are 13th out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference standings.
Cameron Johnson led the Nets with 28 points and seven assists against the Hawks. Johnson is averaging 19.1 points per game and tossed in a team-high 23 points during Saturday’s loss to Boston.
“It’s been good for me amongst all the craziness of the season, amongst everything we’ve had, the ups and downs, the close losses our season has been littered with, to take something really positive day in and day out,” Johnson said. “Working to get better for that next game, that next play and I think that’s where we’re all at right now.”
Keon Johnson collected 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists during the victory over Atlanta after scoring 21 in Saturday’s loss to Boston.
Brooklyn coach Jordi Fernandez said Keon Johnson brings energy to the team whenever he’s on the court.
“I feel like that’s just part of my DNA, of what I bring to the game,” Keon Johnson said. “Play as hard as I can and just compete to my hardest. My teammates love it and my teammates feed off it, so that’s just a standard I have to continue to hold myself to because at the end of the day we never know how games may go.”
Jayson Tatum is fifth in NBA scoring (27.1 ppg) and was Boston’s leading scorer in each of its first two victories over the Nets this season. He had 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists during Saturday’s win against Brooklyn. Tatum (knee) is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game.
The Celtics enter Tuesday’s matchup with seven wins in their last eight games. The Nets will attempt to end a six-game road losing streak.
