BOSTON (AP) — Isaiah Thomas scored 27 points to help the Boston Celtics beat back a fourth-quarter charge and defeat the Brooklyn Nets 114-105 on Monday night to keep alive their hopes of securing the Eastern Conference’s top seed.
The Celtics clinched the Atlantic Division title and can finish with no worse than the No. 2 seed.
Al Horford added 19 points and eight rebounds.
Brooklyn trailed by 27 in the third quarter before an 18-5 run got it back into the game.
The Nets got as close as six in the fourth, but Thomas and Horford combined for 15 points in the period to help secure the victory.