Revenge can be a powerful motivator, and the Brooklyn Nets proved just that in their recent matchup against the Boston Celtics. After a close call earlier in the week at the Barclays Center, the Nets didn’t let up in their Friday night face-off at TD Garden, securing a 113-105 victory. This win marked an improvement in their season, bringing their record to 3-12 and 1-2 in East Group B of the NBA Cup.
From the opening tip-off, it was evident that Brooklyn was determined to make amends for Tuesday’s slip. The team came out strong, displaying excellent ball movement and energetic defense, which left Boston scrambling. The Nets quickly established a seven-point lead. However, the Celtics found their rhythm, and a swift 16-3 run saw Boston seize control, leaving Brooklyn trailing 28-22 by the end of the first quarter.
Just as the Nets seemed to falter, rookie Drake Powell injected life back into the game. Early in the second quarter, Powell intercepted a pass from Anfernee Simons and sprinted down the court for a two-handed dunk, energizing his team and sparking a 10-2 run. This surge briefly restored Brooklyn’s advantage with just under ten minutes to play in the half.
The game continued to be a tight contest, but Brooklyn finished the first half strong with a 14-5 burst, heading into the break with a 62-53 lead, their largest of the night. Rookie Egor Demin played a pivotal role in this stretch, driving assertively to the basket for a layup and setting up Noah Clowney for an easy transition score after a steal.
Demin showcased his playmaking skills with five first-half assists, highlighted by a precise baseline pass to Powell for one of Brooklyn’s early three-pointers. He also made his presence felt on the boards with five rebounds and contributed nine points, joining an exclusive group of Nets rookies who have achieved such stats in a single half since 1997-98. Alongside Demin, Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton each reached double figures, as Brooklyn shot an impressive 50% from the field before halftime, while limiting Boston to 42.6% shooting. The Nets’ disciplined play, with only five turnovers, helped them maintain their momentum and secure the win.
Demin led the Nets with five first-half assists, none sharper than a baseline whip to Powell for one of Brooklyn’s eight early 3-pointers. He complemented his passing with nine points on assertive drives to the basket and five rebounds, becoming only the fifth Nets rookie since 1997-98 to reach five rebounds and five assists in a single half. Clowney, Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton each reached double figures as Brooklyn shot 50% before the break. The Nets turned it over only five times and held Boston to 42.6% from the field.
And Brooklyn didn’t drift into another sluggish third quarter like it did on Tuesday or so many times this season. By the 10:22 mark, a Terance Mann 3-pointer created when Claxton grabbed his own miss and found the open man stretched the lead to 12.
Boston pushed back, but Jaylen Brown picked up his fifth foul with six minutes left in the third and the Nets up three, taking the Celtics’ top scorer off the floor. Brooklyn kept rolling from there, closing the period on a 21-9 run with Brown on the bench to build a 92-77 lead and quiet the TD Garden crowd.
It didn’t last. Brown checked back in with 7:47 remaining and the Celtics already on a run. What had been an 18-point lead was down to six after a Jordan Walsh 3-pointer with 7:05 left, forcing a Nets timeout. Porter briefly stopped the bleeding with a triple on Brooklyn’s next possession, but the Celtics kept pushing as the momentum swung their way.
But just when the Celtics seemed ready to take the lead, Demin calmly brought the ball up and drilled a 26-footer to push Brooklyn’s edge back to five. The Nets followed with a string of stops, Porter went nuclear offensively, and they steadied themselves to go up nine with 2:50 remaining.
Porter poured in 16 of his game-high 33 points in the fourth, carrying Brooklyn to its third win despite Boston winning the quarter 28–21. Claxton delivered his first career triple-double with 18 points, 11 boards and a career-best 12 assists, the Nets’ first since Ben Simmons in 2023. Clowney stayed hot with 19 points and three rebounds.
Brown led Boston with 26 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes.
The Nets continue their road trip Sunday with a matchup against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.
