Nets beat Bucks for 8th straight win, Celtics back to East top

NEW YORK, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Brooklyn Nets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 118-100 on Friday to take their eighth straight win in the NBA.

Kevin Durant scored 24 points and the Nets stopped the Bucks' star Giannis Antetokounmpo from scoring in the fourth quarter.

"I think we were locked in all night on both sides of the ball, it was a great team win," said Durant after the game.

The Nets are fourth placed in the East with a 19-7 record since Jacque Vaughn replaced Steve Nash as head coach.

In Boston, the Celtics made a strong back to the top of the Eastern Conference standings with a 121-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Jaylen Brown scored 36 points, 23 of which in the fourth quarter, to help the Celtics secure their second win in seven games.

Jayson Tatum collected 30 points for the Celtics, the 17th time he and Brown have both scored 30 or more in the same game.

Elsewhere, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 119-114, the Chicago Bulls won 118-117 at the New York Knicks, and the Orlando Magic won 133-113 at the San Antonio Spurs.