The Nets got to face a Boston team without Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown.

But the Celtics still had championship mettle, and enough talent to handle Brooklyn.

While the Nets led much of the night, and in the fourth quarter, they fell 104-96 to Boston before a sellout crowd of 19,156 at TD Garden on Tuesday night.

The Nets were up 80-78 before allowing a 20-8 run to lose the game.

Kristaps Porzingis, who scored a game-high 25 points, makes a move on Cam Johnson during the Nets’ 104-96 loss to the Celtics on March 18, 2025. AP

The Nets (23-46) have dropped eight straight meetings with the Celtics.

They moved a half-game ahead of idle Philadelphia for the fifth-best odds in the lottery, and a full game ahead of seventh-place Toronto.

Tuesday marked the first time all season Boston (50-19) was without both Tatum and Brown (back spasms) in the same game.

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But Kristaps Porzingis had a team-high 25 points and 13 rebounds.

And far more damaging to the Nets was allowing Creighton product Baylor Scheierman a career-high 20 points off the bench, shooting 7-for-8 overall and 6-for-7 from behind the arc.

The Nets led for most of the evening, but ended up shooting just 40.9 percent overall and 13-for-45 from deep.

They were out-rebounded 48-39.

D’Angelo Russell, who scored a team-high 18 points, shoots a jumper during the Nets’ loss to the Celtics. Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Point guard D’Angelo Russell — who had a team-high 18 points, seven assists and five rebounds — hit a 3-pointer off a Cam Johnson feed to cap an 11-3 run that put the Nets ahead 37-28 with 7:32 left in the first half.

But it took just a one-minute lapse in the third to concede a 10-2 Celtics run.

After Payton Pritchard’s 3-pointer, the Nets found themselves down 65-62 with 4:43 left in the third.

And they gave up a highlight play to end the third that gave Boston momentum headed into the fourth.

Ziaire Williams goes up for a shot as Kristaps Porzingis (right) defends during the Nets’ loss to the Celtics. Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

After Trendon Watford’s scoop had put the Nets up 70-66, a Scheierman layup cut that lead in half.

Then with just a second left, Scheierman inbounded to Porzingis, who one-touched the ball back to him for a 26-footer that replays showed just beat the buzzer.

The Nets forced six straight misses and got into driving lanes themselves, Tyrese Martin blowing by his defender for a 80-78 lead.

Derrick White, who scored 18 points, drives to the basket during the Nets’ loss to the Celtics. NBAE via Getty Images

But they allowed eight unanswered points, with Scheierman getting a shooter’s bounce on a 27-footer that put the Celtics up 84-80 with 6:37 left to play.

And Porzingis’ free throws put the Nets down six with 5:59 to play.

A Porzingis jumper extended the run to 20-8, and left the Nets down by double digits with 1:37 left. Brooklyn had no time to rally.