New York
With Kyrie Irving nursing a bruised right quadriceps, the Nets blew open the game with a 15-0 run in the third quarter and outscored the Celtics 44-21 in the period.
Jarrett Allen added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Nets, who have won nine of their last 10 home games. Rookie Rodions Kurucs also scored 19 points.
Jayson Tatum scored 34 points for the Celtics, who dropped games at Miami and Orlando to start their trip. Jaylen Brown added 22 points.
Boston was off from the start, with Brad Stevens calling a timeout just 29 seconds into the game after a turnover led to Russell’s 3-pointer and a 3-0 Brooklyn lead.
But the game didn’t get away from the Celtics until the third, when Russell hit three 3-pointers in the 15-0 burst that made it 76-59. Brooklyn then scored seven straight after Terry Rozier’s basket, pushing it to 83-61.
Nets fans have watched their team stumble and the Celtics soar as the result of the 2013 trade that sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn, and a number of draft picks to Boston.
So a group of fans enjoyed the rare chance to rub it in as the Nets were romping, with a fairly loud “Kyrie’s Leaving! Kyrie’s Leaving!” chant breaking out early in the fourth quarter, when the Nets led by 27.
Irving, a free agent after the season, was noticeably frustrated with the Celtics’ execution at the end of their loss in Orlando on Saturday.
But it was almost a premature celebration, as Boston charged all the way back to get within seven in the final minute.
Cavalierss Cleared Over McCaw Signing
Cleveland
At the urging of the Golden State Warriors, the league investigated Cleveland’s signing of McCaw as a restricted free agent before releasing him. McCaw played two seasons with the defending champions but did not re-sign with them last summer. The Cavs signed him to a two-year, $6 million offer sheet last month the Warriors chose not to match.
McCaw played in three games for the Cavs and was waived before his contract became guaranteed. He signed with Toronto last week.
The league said Monday it found “no violation of the league’s collective bargaining agreement, including the anti-circumvention rules.”
The Cavs could have forfeited a draft pick had they been found guilty of any offenses.
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