Jaylen Brown led the way again for the Celtics with 26 points, but center Nic Claxton and the visiting Nets were the team that took the win out of TD Garden Friday night.
Jaylen Brown led the way again for the Celtics with 26 points, but center Nic Claxton and the visiting Nets were the team that took the win out of TD Garden Friday night.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
What looked like their most winnable game in this difficult early season schedule turned into an offensive grind and a defensive disaster for the Celtics.
After rallying to slice an 18-point deficit to just 2, the Celtics had no answer for former Nuggets standout Michael Porter Jr., who scored Brooklyn’s last 14 points against a helpless defense as the 3-12 Nets stunned Boston, 113-105, in an NBA Cup game Friday night at TD Garden.
Any chances for the Celtics to advance in the in-season tournament were basically extinguished as they dropped to 1-2 and a minus-20 point differential. Despite a double-digit win in Brooklyn Tuesday, the Celtics never could gain any control, allowing the Nets to go on a late second-period run to take the lead for good.
Jordan Walsh’s dunk sliced the deficit to 96-94 with 5:14 left. But Nets rookie Egor Demin followed with a corner 3-pointer, and then Porter went on his scoring barrage that included a 3-pointer and a hammer dunk on Jalen Brown.
Brown never gained momentum after picking up his fifth foul midway through the third period, but still led the Celtics with 26 points to go along with 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.
Anfernee Simons added 23 points in 33 minutes off the bench, and Neemias Queta had 16 points and 12 rebounds. But the duo of Derrick White and Payton Pritchard finished a combined 7-for-26 shooting, and 4 of 16 from the 3-point line. The Celtics were 11 of 34 from beyond the arc as the Nets challenged seemingly every open look.
The Nets were gaining more confidence with each defensive stop and the Celtics couldn’t create any points in the paint or consistently knock down the 3-pointer. Brooklyn went on a 19-6 run late in the third for a 90-72 lead, and the Celtics were visibly frustrated.
Brooklyn shot 51 percent through the first three quarters and were 11 for 26 from the 3-point line. Simons was the lone Celtic to offer scoring support to Brown, dropping 16 points in 21 minutes, but the Celtics still trailed by 15 as they started the final frame.
As the Celtics were in the midst of a rally, another setback occurred when Brown picked up his fifth foul after making off-arm contact with Terance Mann on a drive to the basket. Brown was angry at the officials, claiming he was fouled first and prompting Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla to challenge the call.
The challenge was lost, and the Celtics were without their leading scorer for an extended period.
A 21-10 Celtics run to end the first period meant little in the second, as the Nets countered with 11 of the first 13 points and dominated the next several minutes. The Celtics were guilty of their usual errors — fouling too much, allowing offensive rebounds, and making lazy passes.
Brooklyn, which has the second-worst scoring offense in the NBA, dropped 40 on the Celtics in the frame and took a 62-53 lead into halftime. The Celtics lacked energy, especially in the last three minutes when the Nets went on an 11-2 run.
The Celtics had trouble corralling Nic Claxton, who finished the half with 12 points and 9 rebounds, much to the chagrin of Mazzulla, who spent the half shuttling in Queta and Luka Garza to create energy.
Friday’s in-season tournament game means point differential matters, and the Celtics entered the game a minus-12 after their 13-point loss to Orlando and 1-point win over Philadelphia. To secure any chance of winning Group B, the Celtics needed a resounding win over the Nets and also a victory Wednesday over the Pistons.
Two years ago, Mazzulla caused controversy by intentionally fouling Chicago’s Andre Drummond and playing his starters until the final minute to boost the winning margin and advance to the knockout round.
The Nets raced out to a 14-7 lead after a lethargic beginning by the Celtics, prompting a quick timeout call from Mazzulla following a third layup from Claxton.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.