The Nets led the Celtics, who were without Rajon Rondo, most of the way in their game on Wednesday night, but ultimately fell to the Eastern Conference-leaders 89-83 in Boston.
Shaquille O’Neal led the way for Boston (11-4) with his strongest performance since he became a Celtic, finishing with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Paul Pierce added 18 points, while Ray Allen contributed 15 points and seven assists.
The Nets (5-10) were led by Devin Harris’ team-high 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Anthony Morrow was 7-of-11 from the field and scored 18 points. Brook Lopez chipped in 16 points on just 5-of-14 shooting, while Jordan Farmar contributed 10 points and seven assists off the bench.