The Brooklyn Nets entered Friday’s NBA Cup matchup at TD Garden as heavy underdogs. With a 2-12 record and nine straight losses to the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn had little momentum on its side. But the Nets delivered one of their most complete performances of the season, defeating Boston and snapping their prolonged losing streak against the Celtics.
Brooklyn seized control in the second quarter, outscoring Boston 40-25. After that, the Nets never surrendered the lead the rest of the night. Michael Porter Jr. Powered the offense with a game-high 33 points on 13-for-21 shooting, including four made 3-pointers. Porter saved his best for the fourth quarter, scoring 16 points in a five-minute stretch to keep Boston’s comeback attempts at bay.
The night also belonged to center Nic Claxton, who recorded the first triple-double of his career. The 26-year-old anchored Brooklyn on both ends, finishing with 18 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds, along with a steal and a block. Claxton’s playmaking in particular stood out, as he consistently generated quality looks for teammates while serving as the defensive backbone inside.
The performance earned Brooklyn its first win in NBA Cup Group Play after an 0-2 start. The Nets now sit third in Group B with one game remaining. The victory also continued an unusual trend: all three of Brooklyn’s wins this season have come on the road.
The Nets will look to build on the momentum when they travel to face the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. After that, they return home for matchups against the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center.
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