Brown, Celtics beat the Nets 113-99 to move above .500 for the first time this season

NEW YORK AP Jaylen Brown scored points Payton Pritchard had points and rebounds and the Boston Celtics beat the Brooklyn Nets - on Tuesday night to move above for the first time this season Derrick White added points for the Celtics who won their third straight contest to improve to - They played the Nets even for about three quarters before smothering them defensively in the fourth allowing just one basket for the first minutes of the period Michael Porter Jr scored points for the Nets his career-best seventh straight tournament with at least But after his -pointer gave Brooklyn a - lead with left the Nets didn t make another basket until remained Day Ron Sharpe added points for the Nets who fell to - overall and - at home The Celtics started the season - and then won their next three They dropped the next two games and hadn t gotten their record back to even again until beating the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday Porter had points at halftime and Pritchard scored The teams combined for -pointers and -pointers in the first half which ended with Boston leading - The Celtics opened their first double-digit cushion when Brown followed a three-point play with a -pointer to cap an - burst and make it - with minutes remaining in the third Brooklyn cut it to one late in the period before Brown made another -pointer to send the Celtics to the fourth with an - edge With the Celtics leading - they chased down three missed shots on one possession to set up White s -pointer After a Brooklyn free throw he made another to make it - Brown s with left capped an - run to make it - Up next The teams meet Friday night in Boston