Much has been made of the young core of the Brooklyn Nets, particularly since the club got hot in early December. On Monday, that young core took another step forward in the coming-of-age process.
D’Angelo Russell scored 18 of his game-high 34 points during a third-quarter explosion by Brooklyn that broke open a close game, while Rodions Kurucs and Jarrett Allen added 19 points apiece as the Nets (22-23) ended a 10-game losing streak against the Boston Celtics with a 109-102 win.
The trio — none older than the 22-year-old Russell — combined for 72 points to lead the short-handed Brooklyn squad to its first victory over the Celtics (25-18) since Jan.