EAST RUTHERFORD (New Jersey), May 22: The Boston Celtics led virtually from wire to wire to beat the New Jersey Nets 93-86 Tuesday to tie their best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals at one game apiece.
The series now shifts to Boston’s FleetCenter for Games Three and Four on Saturday and Monday.
Boston was up by 10 points, 27-17, at the end of the first quarter.
Nets coach Byron Scott chided his players, telling them: “It’s not what they’re doing, it’s what we’re not doing”.
The Celtics were up by as many 13 points in the second quarter, only to have the Nets cut the deficit to three. It finished with Boston leading by six, 48-42.
New Jersey’s Kenyon Martin led all scorers with 13 at the half, with Jason Kidd picking up nine. New Jersey shot just 35 percent.
Kenny Anderson had 10 to top the Celtics.
Todd MacCulloch got the Nets going in the third, putting up the first basket to cut the deficit to four points. Then the Celts took charge again.
BASEBALL RESULTS
NEW YORK: Results of Tuesday’s Major League Baseball games (home team in CAPS):