Jayson Tatum had 40 factors, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, and the Boston Celtics held off a late rally to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-101 on Saturday evening.
With LeBron James within the locker room with a strained groin, the Lakers lower a 20-point, fourth-quarter deficit to single digits. However Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored Boston’s closing 12 factors to protect the win.
Brown added 31 factors because the Celtics earned their fourth straight victory.
James completed with 22 factors, 14 rebounds and 9 assists earlier than exiting halfway by the fourth quarter because the Lakers had their eight-game Los Angeles win streak.
Luka Dončić had 34 factors and eight rebounds in his first sport in Boston since he and the Dallas Mavericks misplaced Sport 5 of the NBA Finals as Boston clinched its 18th championship.
Issues fell aside in a 3rd quarter wherein they confirmed little or no connectivity on offense. It’s clearly one thing that’s nonetheless lacking at occasions with the addition of Dončić.
Jrue Vacation return after lacking 4 straight video games with mallet finger in his proper pinkie. However heart Kristaps Porzingis sat for the fifth consecutive sport with an sickness.
The TD Backyard crowd was delivered to its toes with 3:50 left within the first quarter when Brown stripped Dončić, led a quick break and located a streaking Al Horford for a two-handed slam.
Horford’s momentum precipitated him to swing ahead, and he inadvertently kneed a trailing Dončić within the head as he swung again. No foul was known as on the play, although Dončić was clearly irritated by the collision.
The Celtics held the Lakers to 21% taking pictures from the sector (5 of 23) within the third quarter, with Los Angeles additionally committing six turnovers.
The Lakers go to Brooklyn on Monday. The Celtics host the Jazz on Monday.