By GREG MENGELT
The Celtics won for the sixth straight time — five of the six coming by double figures — with a 126-91 victory at Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center. The Nets, who were playing without Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, LaMarcus Aldridge and Joe Harris, lost their ninth straight game.
Five Celtics scored in double figures, led by Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown, who scored 22 points apiece. Brown, who was 9 for 12 from the field, also had nine assists and seven rebounds. Langford, who was 0 for 1 from the field and 0 for 2 at the foul line, had a rebound, a turnover and a personal foul off the Boston bench.
The Nets’ starters scored just 21 points in the loss. Their bench, led by 21 points from Jevon Carter, scored the other 70.
Boston, which is now up to the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference, moving the Nets down to No. 8, will try to make it seven in a row Friday when it hosts Denver (XX), which is 30-24 and sixth in the West. Tipoff is schedule for 7:30 p.m. and can be seen locally on NBA TV.
