Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder (99) drives past Brooklyn Nets forward Quincy Acy (13) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 17, 2017, in New York. The Celtics won 98-95. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder (99) drives past Brooklyn Nets forward Quincy Acy (13) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 17, 2017, in New York. The Celtics won 98-95. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) Credit: Julie Jacobson

New York — Jae Crowder scored nine of his 24 points late in the fourth quarter, Avery Bradley had 16 overall, and the Boston Celtics edged the Brooklyn Nets 98-95 on Friday night.

Al Horford added 14 points and eight rebounds for the Celtics, who were playing without All-Star Isaiah Thomas. Boston’s point guard sat the first game of a two-game road trip. Thomas, second in the NBA in scoring with 29.2 points per game, bruised his right knee in Wednesday night’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves after a hard fall.

Boston moved within two games of the idle Cleveland Cavaliers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Brook Lopez led the Nets with 23 points and Randy Foye added 14 for Brooklyn.

Crowder, who also had 12 rebounds, hit a 3-pointer to give Boston an 88-85 lead with 3:36 left in the fourth, and then drove baseline for a dunk to extend the lead to 90-85 before he was fouled by Brooklyn’s Spencer Dinwiddie with 2:51 remaining. After a Nets timeout, Crowder completed the three-point play with a free throw to extend the lead to six points.

After Horford’s 19-foot jumper made it 93-85, Lopez and Dinwiddie led an 8-0 run to cut Boston’s lead to just two, 93-91, with 44 seconds left.

It was Boston’s first St. Patrick’s Day win in three years. The Celtics are 23-15 all-time on the holiday. Their 23 wins are tops in the NBA in league history.

Pelicans 128, Rockets 112

New Orleans — Solomon Hill scored a career-high 30 points and New Orleans overcame the absence of All-Star DeMarcus Cousins.

Anthony Davis had 24 points and 15 rebounds for New Orleans, which has won three of four. Jrue Holiday added 19 points despite early foul trouble.

Heat 123, Timberwolves 105

Miami — Hassan Whiteside scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Tyler Johnson scored 23 off the bench and Miami downed Minnesota.

Goran Dragic scored 19 points and added 10 assists for Miami, which lost Dion Waiters to an ankle injury in the second quarter but moved to 23-5 in its last 28 games overall and 15-1 in its last 16 at home.

Raptors 87, Pistons 75

Auburn Hills, Mich. — Serge Ibaka had 17 points and eight rebounds and the Raptors used a fourth-quarter surge to beat Detroit.

Toronto outscored Detroit 27-9 in the final period to take control of a game that appeared to be slipping away. The Pistons missed their final 10 shots of the game.

Wizards 112, Bulls 107

Washington — Bradley Beal scored 24 points, John Wall dished out a career-high 20 assists to go with 14 points and Washington held on to defeat Chicago.

Playing their first game since Dwyane Wade suffered a fractured elbow that will keep him out for the rest of the regular season, the Bulls rallied from 19 points down and had a chance to tie it, but Jimmy Butler missed a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left.

Sixers 116, Mavericks 74

Philadelphia — Justin Anderson tied his career high with 19 points and Robert Covington scored 12 of his 18 points in a dominant third quarter, helping Philadelphia rout Dallas.

Richaun Holmes added 17 points for the 76ers, who snapped an eight-game losing streak to Dallas.