NEW YORK — Although he tied a profession excessive by scoring 31 factors earlier than halftime, Jayson Tatum wasn’t tempted to chase an enormous quantity.
He is had huge scoring nights earlier than. He is after an NBA championship, and might solely get that with all his teammates.
Tatum had 41 factors and 14 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics gained their fifth straight recreation by beating the Brooklyn Nets 118-110 on Tuesday evening within the opener of a home-and-home sequence.
Tatum had his twenty fifth 40-point recreation within the common season, with a profession excessive of 60. However after scoring 16 within the first quarter and 15 extra within the second, he took solely 9 pictures within the second half.
“We have a very good workforce the place in any given possession we might have two, three benefits and it is not all the time simply going to be me,” Tatum mentioned. “So simply understanding that and realizing that I would like my teammates. I would like everyone, all of us want one another.”
Jaylen Brown added 19 factors for the Celtics, who improved to 42-12 and can host the Nets on Wednesday within the remaining recreation for each groups earlier than the All-Star break.
The Celtics led comfortably a lot of the way in which whereas taking part in with out Kristaps Porzingis due to a decrease again contusion. Coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned Boston’s beginning middle might play Wednesday.
Al Horford changed Porzingis within the lineup and scored 16 factors on 6-for-6 taking pictures. Derrick White additionally scored 16 and Jrue Vacation had 14 factors and 12 assists because the Celtics gained their sixth straight in Brooklyn.
Mikal Bridges scored 27 factors and Cam Thomas had 26 for the Nets, who misplaced for the fourth time in 5 video games and haven’t got a lot time to determine what else they will do in opposition to Tatum.
“These high-level guys, as soon as they get going, we began to entice him a bit of bit, however they have a lot taking pictures on the market,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn mentioned. “It will be fascinating to observe it once more and see what changes we are able to make.”
Backup middle Day’Ron Sharpe returned with six factors after lacking 15 video games with a hyperextended left knee and beginning ahead Cam Johnson (adductor pressure) may very well be again Wednesday for a Nets workforce that has gotten some wholesome our bodies again recently.
Nonetheless not sufficient of them to beat the Celtics, who gained for the ninth time within the final 10 conferences.
Tatum made 3-pointers on consecutive possessions late within the first quarter, and when he pulled up behind the arc on the following journey, he made it whereas being fouled for a four-point play that gave him 16 factors within the interval.
“We depend on him to make these and he is not afraid to shoot them,” Vacation mentioned. “However tonight, him taking these pictures gave us quite a lot of power. It positively gave us a lift to go on the market, lock in defensively after which get him the ball again.”
However the Nets hung shut for some time, trailing simply 45-43 with 7 1/2 minutes remaining within the half. Tatum then hit one other 3 and the Celtics started to open it up, ultimately going forward 72-52 on Luke Kornet’s dunk earlier than Brooklyn scored the ultimate 5 factors of the half.
The lead grew to 93-70 on Tatum’s dunk with 4:19 remaining within the third quarter however the Nets closed to 99-93 whereas he was resting within the fourth. Tatum returned and mixed with Brown on a 7-0 run that pushed a seven-point result in 109-95 with 5:38 to play.
