Porzingis scores 24 in his return to help the Celtics hold on to beat the Nets 115-113

NEW YORK (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis scored 24 points in his return from an eight-game absence with an illness, getting 14 in the fourth quarter to help the Boston Celtics hold off the Brooklyn Nets 115-113 on Saturday night.

Payton Pritchard added 22 points and Jayson Tatum had 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Celtics, who seemed headed for an easy night after a 25-7 run to open the second quarter gave them a 21-point lead. The Nets cut it to two in the fourth quarter before Porzingis made some clutch plays in his first game since Feb. 26.

The Celtics rested Derrick White and Al Horford a night after winning in Miami and clinching a playoff spot, then lost Jaylen Brown in the second half after he left with back spasms.

Pritchard, who set the NBA single-season record during the game with his 219th 3-pointer off the bench, made three free throws in the closing seconds.

Cam Johnson scored 23 points and Keon Johnson had 21 for the Nets, who lost for the 10th time in 11 games.

Celtics: Boston relies on the 3-pointer, but having Porzingis man the middle provides a different dimension when the long balls aren't falling.

Nets: Brooklyn announced Saturday that leading scorer Cam Thomas is expected to miss the rest of the season with a strained left hamstring. Thomas averaged 24 points but was limited to 25 games by the injury he initially sustained in November.

Boston's lead was down to 94-92 with 7:59 to play before Porzingis converted a three-point play and then made his only 3-pointer of the night to push it to 100-92 a minute later.

Boston has won eight straight in the regular season in Brooklyn, not losing since April 23, 2021.

Brooklyn hosts Atlanta on Sunday. The Celtics don't play again until hosting the Nets on Tuesday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Boston Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis (8) dunks ahead of Brooklyn Nets' Day'Ron Sharpe during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Brooklyn Nets' Ziaire Williams and Jalen Wilson (22) defend against Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shoots over Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe (20) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket against Brooklyn Nets' Ziaire Williams (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Boston Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis (8) drives to the basket against Brooklyn Nets' Keon Johnson (45) and Ziaire Williams (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

A fire at a nightclub in the town of Kocani in North Macedonia has killed 59 people and injured more than 150 others, according to authorities. Here is a look at some other nightclub and music venue fires that have led to significant death tolls:

— April 2024: A blaze at the Masquerade nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey, trapped workers and employees while the venue was closed for renovations, leaving 29 people dead. It was located on the ground and basement floors of a 16-story residential building.

— October 2023: A fire that started at a nightclub in the southeastern Spanish city of Murcia and spread to two other clubs left 13 people dead.

— January 2022: A nightclub in Sorong, in Indonesia's West Papua province, burned after two groups attacked each other inside the building. Nineteen people were killed.

— January 2022: A blaze at Liv’s Nightclub Yaouba in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, set off explosions that killed 17 people. The government suggested that fireworks set the roof alight and the fire then spread to areas where cooking gas was stored.

— December 2016: Thirty-six people died in a fire at a warehouse in Oakland, California that had been converted into a residence and event space for artists dubbed the “Ghost Ship.” The blaze, which broke out during an electronic music and dance party, moved so quickly that victims were trapped on the illegally constructed second floor.

— October 2015: A blaze that broke out during a rock band's pyrotechnics display at the Colectiv nightclub in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, killed 64 people and left some 190 injured.

— January 2013: A fire killed more than 200 people at the Kiss nightclub in the city of Santa Maria in southern Brazil. Investigators said soundproofing foam on the ceiling caught fire and released poisonous gases that quickly killed those attending a university party.

— December 2009: Some 152 people died when a blaze broke out at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm, Russia. It started when an indoor fireworks display ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches.

— January 2009: An indoor fireworks display after a New Year’s countdown ignited a blaze in the Santika club in Bangkok, Thailand, killing 67 people and injuring many more. Victims died from burns, smoke inhalation, and from being crushed.

— September 2008: A fire killed 44 people at the jammed King of Dancers nightclub in Shenzhen, China when a stamped broke out after a fireworks show ignited the ceiling.

— December 2004: In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a fire killed 194 people at the crowded Cromagnon Republic club after a flare ignited ceiling foam. Club owner Omar Chaban was sentenced to 20 years in prison for causing the deadly fire and for bribery. Others received lighter sentences.

— February 2003: A fire at the Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, in the United States, killed 100 people and injured more than 200 others. Fireworks being used by the band set fire to flammable foam inside the club.

— December 2000: A fire that was blamed on a welding accident killed 309 people at a disco in the central Chinese city of Luoyang.

— October 1998: An arson attack against an overcrowded youth disco in the Swedish city Goteborg killed 63 people and left around 200 injured. Four people were later convicted for starting the fire.

— March 1996: A fire at the Ozone Disco Pub in Quezon City, Philippines, killed 162 people. A large proportion of the victims were students partying to mark the end of the academic year.

— March 1990: An arson attack at the Happy Land nightclub in the Bronx borough of New York City killed 87 people. It started when a man angry with his girlfriend threw gasoline on the club’s only exit and set it on fire, then jammed down the metal front gate so people were trapped.

— December 1983: A fire at the Alcala dance hall in Madrid, Spain, left 78 people dead and more than 20 injured.

— May 1977: A fire at the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky, killed 165 people and injured more than 200.

— November 1942: The deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history killed 492 people at Boston’s Cocoanut Grove club. The fire at what had been one of Boston’s foremost nightspots led to new requirements for sprinkler systems and accessible exits.

— April 1940: A fire ignited the decorative Spanish moss draping the ceiling of the Rhythm Night Club in Natchez, Mississippi, killing 209 people. The windows had been boarded up to prevent people from sneaking in.

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the City of Oakland shows the burned warehouse after the deadly fire that broke out on Dec. 2, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (City of Oakland via AP, File)

FILE - Sol Rodriguez, center, and Aaron Torres visit a shrine for the victims of a warehouse fire near the site Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

FILE - A ladder stands inside the charred warehouse Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. The fire, which happened on Friday, Dec 2, killed dozens of people during a electronic dance party as it raced through the building, in the deadliest structure fire in the U.S. in more than a decade. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

FILE - This Dec. 7, 2016 file photo shows the front of The Ghost Ship warehouse damaged from a deadly fire in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

FILE - Mother of Liliya Kalashnikova, a victim of the night club fire, center, no name given, cries at her daughter's funeral at a cemetery in the Ural Mountains city of Perm, about 1,200 km (700 miles) east of Moscow, Monday, Dec. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel, File)

FILE -Victim of nightclub fire Rattana Saelim arrives at'the Bangkok Criminal Court in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File)

FILE - Fire and Rescue officials along with others inspect the Santika nightclub Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009, in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo/David Longstreath, File)

FILE - Fire and Rescue officials collect victims Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009, following a night club fire in Bangkok, Thailand. At least fifty people were killed when fire broke out during New Year's Eve celebrations at a popular Bangkok night club. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File)

FILE - A survivor of a fire that occurred in a club in Bucharest, Romania, cries, wrapped in a thermal blanket outside the scene early Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)

FILE - Relatives cry next to a coffin at a gymnasium where bodies were brought for identification in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013 (AP Photo/Nabor Goulart, File)

FILE - Police officers and investigators work at the Lame Horse nightclub where a fire broke out late Friday, in Perm, about 700 miles (1,200 kilometers) east of Moscow, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze, File)

FILE - Ambulances are parked outside the site of a fire that occurred in a club, housed by the building in the background, in Bucharest, early Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)

FILE - A victim of a fire in a club is carried in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, early Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (AP Photo/Deivid Dutra/Agencia Freelancer, File)