Celtics-Nets recap: Porzingis powers C's to victory in return

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla spoke after Saturday's game about Payton Pritchard breaking the NBA record for most 3-pointers in a single season off the bench.

Eddie House and our Celtics Postgame Live crew react to Kristaps Porzingis' big night and the C's 115-113 win over the Nets in Brooklyn:

Kristaps Porzingis caught up with NBC Sports Boston's Abby Chin after the C's win over the Nets. The big man tallied a game-high 24 points in his return from an eight-game absence.

Score: 109-101 Celtics, 2:51 left in fourth quarter

Boston's lead is up to eight with just under three minutes to go. Kristaps Porzingis has led the way in the fourth quarter with 14 of his 24 points coming in the frame. Jayson Tatum has 20 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.

Payton Pritchard's fourth 3-pointer of the night gives him 219 for the season, the most ever by a player off the bench in NBA history.

Score: 102-95 Celtics, 5:58 left in fourth quarter

Kristaps Porzingis has shown no signs of rust in his return from an eight-game absence. The Celtics big man has caught fire with 12 of his team-high 22 points coming in the fourth quarter, including his first 3-pointer of the night. He's shooting 8-for-13 from the floor.

The Nets have kept it close with offensive rebounding (12) and 3-pointers (17-for-39). Keon Johnson leads Brooklyn with 19 points.

Score: 86-81 Celtics

The Nets are hanging tough as they outscored the C's 30-23 in the third quarter, cutting a 21-point deficit to five.

Keon Johnson has stepped up for Brooklyn with a team-high 19 points. Maxwell Lewis and Cameron Johnson have also stepped up with 12 points apiece.

Jayson Tatum leads the Celtics with 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. The C's bench has been outstanding, particularly Payton Pritchard (13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists) and Luke Kornet (10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block).

Kristaps Porzingis has 10 points, two rebounds, and a block in his return. Jaylen Brown (8 points, 6 rebounds) exited with a low back spasm and is doubtful to return.

Celtics star Jaylen Brown exited the game and is doubtful to return due to a low back spasm, the team announced. He had eight points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal.

Score: 74-66 Celtics, 6:12 left in third quarter

The Nets cut their 21-point deficit to five, but the Celtics snapped out of their funk with an 8-0 run in a one-minute span. Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum, and Jrue Holiday each contributed 3-pointers while Kristaps Porzingis added a mid-range jumper. Tatum leads the group with 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.

Score: 63-51 Celtics

The Celtics led by as many as 21 points in the first half, but the Nets chipped away toward the end of the second quarter to cut the deficit to 12.

Keon Johnson (11 points) led a 17-8 run to get Brooklyn back into the game. Maxwell Lewis is up to 10 points off the bench for the Nets.

It's been a balanced effort for the C's so far as all nine players who have checked in have scored at least three points. Jayson Tatum (13 points) and Payton Pritchard (11 points) lead the group. Kristaps Porzingis has eight points, two rebounds, and a block in his return.

Score: 50-32 Celtics, 6:27 left in second quarter

With his third 3-pointer of the night, Celtics guard Payton Pritchard tied the NBA record for 3s off the bench in a season (218). There are still 15 games remaining on the schedule.

Score: 43-32 Celtics, 8:36 left in second quarter

The Celtics have outscored the Nets 13-5 over the first three-plus minutes of the frame. The bench has been a factor with Payton Pritchard (8 points), Baylor Scheierman (3 points), Luke Kornet (2 points, 2 rebounds), and Neemias Queta (3 points) making an impact.

Score: 30-27 Celtics

It's been a competitive matchup so far in Brooklyn as the C's take a narrow lead over the Nets into the second quarter.

Jayson Tatum has been the star for Boston with a game-high 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Payton Pritchard has five off the bench, and Kristaps Porzingis has four points in seven minutes thus far in his return.

Maxwell Lewis leads the Nets with eight points off the bench. Jalen Wilson has six for Brooklyn's second unit.

Score: 27-26 Nets, 1:33 left in first quarter

Brooklyn has pulled ahead as Boston struggled to get stops over the last few minutes of the opening frame. Maxwell Lewis leads the Nets with eight points off the bench.

Jayson Tatum, who received MVP chants at Barclays Center, has a team-high seven points with four rebounds and three assists for the Celtics. Payton Pritchard has five off the bench.

Score: 12-9 Celtics, 6:17 left in first quarter

Kristaps Porzingis appears to be at full strength in his return from an illness that kept him sidelined for the last eight games. The Celtics big man has four points and a rebound over the first six minutes. He threw down a dunk just before the Nets timeout.

Jrue Holiday and Jayson Tatum also have four points apiece. Holiday already has three assists.

The C's are 6-of-12 from the floor but 0-for-5 from 3-point range.

Celtics: Jrue Holiday, Sam Hauser, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis

Nets: D’Angelo Russell, Keon Johnson, Cam Johnson, Ziaire Williams, Day’Ron Sharpe

Kristaps Porzingis is officially available for Saturday's game after missing the last eight due to an illness. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said during his pregame press conference that Porzingis will "probably" be put on a minutes restriction.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will also play after initially being listed as questionable on the injury report.

Derrick White (left knee contusion) and Al Horford (left big toe sprain) are out.

Jaylen Brown (right knee posterior impingement), Jayson Tatum (right knee tendinopathy) are listed as questionable for tonight's matchup.

Al Horford (left big toe sprain) and Derrick White (left knee contusion) are doubtful.

Kristaps Porzingis (illness) is listed as probable to return from his eight-game absence.