Celtics push Nets to brink

NEW YORK – The Toronto Raptors stayed alive, the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves pulled level, and the Boston Celtics pushed the Brooklyn Nets to the brink of elimination in the NBA playoffs on Saturday.

Jayson Tatum scored 39 points to lead the Celtics in a 109-103 victory over the Nets in Brooklyn that pushed their lead in the NBA Eastern Conference first-round series to 3-0.

No NBA team has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series, and the Celtics will try to wrap this one up on the Nets’ home floor on Monday.

“It’s about our character now,” Nets coach Steve Nash said. “It’s about digging deep and having pride and finding a way over the next 48 hours to come back ready to win on Monday night.”

Once again the Celtics’ suffocating defense neutralized Brooklyn’s scoring star Kevin Durant, who finished with 16 points and attempted just 11 shots.

Brooklyn’s other big star, Kyrie Irving, also finished with just 16 points.

The Celtics led most of the game before the Nets cut the deficit to three points late in the third quarter.

Boston responded with two baskets from Marcus Smart and a steal and dunk from Jaylen Brown to take an 81-72 lead into the fourth.

“I think it just shows the growth of our team,” Tatum said. “Early in the season, we gave up big leads all the time. And we figured it out. You’re never going to be perfect, it’s all about how you respond. We kept responding.”

In Toronto, forward Pascal Siakam scored a playoff career-high 34 points and Gary Trent Jr. added 24 in the Raptors’ 110-102 triumph over the Philadelphia 76ers to cut the deficit in their series to 3-1.

The Sixers can still advance in the best-of-seven set with a game-five victory at home on Monday, but there are injury concerns for 76ers center Joel Embiid.

In Salt Lake City, Rudy Gobert’s slam dunk with 11 seconds remaining gave the Utah Jazz a 100-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks that knotted their Western Conference series at two games apiece.

The Jazz spoiled the return from injury of Mavericks guard Luka Doncic.