BOSTON

Jared Sullinger had 24 points and 11 rebounds, hitting a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 2:22 left on Monday night and the Boston Celtics beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 101-97.

Sullinger had 15 points and six rebounds in the fourth quarter, and Avery Bradley had 19 points for the game. The Celtics won for the fifth time in seven games to hold onto first place in the Atlantic Division despite a 12-14 record that would be 12th-best in the Western Conference.

Kevin Love had 27 points and 14 rebounds for Minnesota, which has not won in Boston since 2005. But he was 2 for 11 from 3-point range as the Timberwolves, who hit a season-high 12 3- pointers at Memphis on Sunday, went 8 of 29 from beyond the arc.

Love hit a 3-pointer to give Minnesota a 92-90 lead with 3:48 to play, then Jordan Crawford tied it from the right baseline. Sullinger missed a baby hook putback for Boston, but Alexey Shved missed a 3-pointer and Sullinger then hit his 3 from the top of the key to give Boston the lead for good.

Boston led 95-94 when Sullinger grabbed the rebound of J.J. Barea’s miss and made free throws with 18 seconds left to make it a three-point game. Nikola Pekovic missed a dunk, then Sullinger grabbed another rebound and made one of two free throws with 14 seconds left to help ice it.

Bradley had 10 points in the first quarter to help the Celtics open an eight-point lead.