With Deron Williams or without him, the Nets are a new team.

After a two-game absence, their new star was back at the Prudential Center on Monday to hit the biggest shot of the game in a huge 88-79 over the Celtics, keeping the team's winning streak, their longest since January of 2008, going.

And when the Nets and Bulls meet up in Newark on Thursday, it's possible the contest will be between the NBA's two hottest teams.  Only the Bulls have won more in a row than the Nets, with a six game winning streak going into Tuesday's gave vs. Washington. The Nets report fewer than 1,000 tickets are available for that game as the team goes for its third straight sellout.

The Celtics led by two after an ugly first half, but the Nets scored 31 points in the third quarter to go up six heading into the fourth. With Williams on the bench, they went up by as many as 12 with nine minutes to go. A 15-4 Celtics run cut the lead down to two with four minutes left, but Boston failed on three attempts to tie or take the lead. Brook Lopez put the Nets back up four with a hook shot and a possession later, Williams hit a three with 35 seconds left to put the game away.

The Nets shot just 40 percent from the field, but hit 11 of their 25 threes and turned the ball over just 10 times. Lopez led all scorers with 20 points on 9-for-16 shooting. Kris Humphries recorded his seventh straight double-double, and Williams finished with 16 points, six rebounds and nine assists.

• Boxscore - NBA.com
• Game Highlights (Video) - NBA.com
• Deron Seals The Victory (Video) - NBA.com
• Celtics-Nets notebook - Jake Appleman - NBA.com
• Arena Link: Kris Humphries (Video) - NBA.com
  
• Nets beat Celtics 88-79 for 5th straight win - Brian Mahoney - AP
• Nets knock off Celtics, 88-79, for fifth straight victory - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
• Former Net Troy Murphy says he understands why team traded him - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
• Nets shock Celts, extend win streak - Fred Kerber - New York Post
  
• D-Will's wrist still a big pain - Fred Kerber - New York Post
  
• New Jersey Nets upset Boston Celtics, 88-79, for 5th straight win - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
• Nets rising and "the majority of credit goes to Avery Johnson," says Billy King - Stefan Bondy - The InterNets
• Nets stun Celtics to push winning streak to five - Al Iannazzone - The Record
  
• Nets notes: Murphy's law - Al Iannazzone - The Record
• In Deron's return, Nets stun Celtics for fifth straight win - Al Iannazzone - The Nets Insider
  
• Post-Game Plus (Video) - Chris Shearn - YES Network
• From the Booth (Video) - Ian Eagle & Mike Fratello - YES Network
• Avery Johnson Press Conference (Video) - YES Network
• Brook Lopez Interview (Video) - Jessica Taff - YES Network
• Pre-Game: Avery Johnson Interview (Video) - Jessica Taff - YES Network
  
• Rapid Reaction: Nets 88, Celtics 79 - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
• Williams' big shot keys Nets' big win - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
• NETS Succeed Small, Williams Comes Up Big - Ben Couch - New Jersey Nets
  
• Rapid reaction: Rondo in a slump? - Chris Forsberg - ESPN Boston
  
• At the buzzer: Nets 88, Celtics 79 - Chris Forsberg - ESPN Boston
• Uneven Celtics leveled - Gary Washburn - Boston Globe
• Davis remains focused - Gary Washburn - Boston Globe
  
• Nothing but Nets vs.Celtics - Mark Murphy - Boston Herald
  
• Celtics Run Out of Steam Against Nets, Lose Again on Tail End of Back-to-Back - Evans Clinchy - NESN
• Nets triumph as Celtics stars struggle - Agence France Presse