NEWARK, N.J., March 14 (UPI) -- Brook Lopez hit a key basket late in the game en route to 20 points Monday and the New Jersey Nets held on to post a rare win over Boston, 88-79.
Lopez connected on a seven-foot hook shot with 1:14 remaining to give the Nets a four-point lead at 83-79. After Boston's Glen Davis missed a jumper, Deron Williams canned a 3-pointer to ice the win.
Williams -- returning after a two-game absence for the birth of a child -- finished with 16 points, nine assists and six rebounds for New Jersey, which downed the Celtics for only the second time in 17 meetings.
Ray Allen put in 19 points, Kevin Garnett added 18 and Davis contributed 16 points and 14 rebounds for Boston.
The Celtics lost for the third time in four games and fell into a tie with Chicago atop the Eastern Conference.
