Celtics win close game in Eastern showdown with Nets

Jayson Tatum collected 20 points, 11 rebounds and five assists as the Boston Celtics pulled away down the stretch for a 109-98 victory over the Brooklyn Nets Thursday night in New York.

The league-best Celtics won their fifth straight and their ninth in 11 games while playing without Jaylen Brown.

Brown sat out with a strained right adductor and coach Joe Mazzulla said he could miss a week or two.

Without Brown, the Ce