Celtics Keep Home Streak Alive
In a matchup of conference leaders, the Boston Celtics outlasted the Minnesota Timberwolves in overtime 127-120 to secure their 25th consecutive regular season home win. The Celtics improved to 29-8 with the victory, the NBA’s best record by three games.
The Celtics’ Jayson Tatum matched his season high with 45 points. It’s the 24th time Tatum has scored at least 40 points in a game, the second-most such games in franchise history behind Larry Bird (47).
Tatum shot 13-26 from the field — including 6-11 from 3-point range — and made 13 of his 14 free throws. He committed just one turnover in 42 minutes played.
Teammate Jaylen Brown scored 35 points and grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds, going 9-16 from the field (4-7 on 3-pointers) and 13-13 from the free throw line. It’s the most free throws Brown has ever made in a game without a miss. Brown has scored at least 31 points in each of his last three games, going 39-62 from the floor (62.9%).
Tatum and Brown have each scored at least 30 points in the same game 26 times. That’s the most such games in franchise history (by a whopping 17 games) and the eighth-most such games in NBA history.
Anthony Edwards led the shorthanded Timberwolves with 29 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns tallied 25 points, a game-high 13 rebounds, and a team-high six assists. Usual starters Mike Conley (rest) and Rudy Gobert (hip) did not play.
Jazz Hitting Right Notes
The Utah Jazz continue to hit the right notes, beating the Denver Nuggets 124-111 to claim their ninth victory in the last 11 games. The Jazz have beaten three of the NBA’s top seven teams (by win-loss record) in the last five days, and are now just one game below .500 for the season at 19-20.
Utah’s Jordan Clarkson had another big game off the bench, scoring a team-high 27 points on 12-19 shooting from the field. Clarkson also handed out a game-high nine assists. Since moving to the bench on December 23, Clarkson is averaging 19.7 PPG and 6.0 APG in 10 games. The Jazz are 8-2 in those games, with a scoring average of 123.2 PPG.
Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen scored 26 points (12-12 free throws) and hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds, while guard Collin Sexton scored 22 points in just 21 minutes played. Sexton has scored 63 points in just 66 minutes over his last three games, going 25-41 from the field (61.0%).
The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic produced team highs of 27 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists (tied). It’s the 155th time Jokic has led his team — either outright or tied — in all three categories in a game, the second-most such games in NBA history behind LeBron James (231).
Jokic went 8-9 from the field and made 10 of his 12 free throws. Over his last seven games, Jokic has connected on 62 of his 75 attempts from the floor, a field goal percentage of 82.7%. The only player in NBA history with a higher such figure over a seven-game span with at least 70 attempts is Wilt Chamberlain (December 1966).
Jokic reached two career milestones in this game, surpassing 13,000 points and 5,000 field goals made. He’s the fourth player in franchise history to score at least 13,000 points, joining Alex English, Dan Issel, and Carmelo Anthony.
Quick Hitters
Other notes on a busy night:
Myles Turner scored a team-high 18 points and snagged a game-high 13 rebounds in the Indiana Pacers’ 112-104 victory over the Washington Wizards. The Pacers have won eight of their last nine games, while the Wizards have dropped six in a row. The Pacers’ TJ McConnell came off the bench to score 14 points (7-10 field goals) and dish out a game-high eight assists in just 22 minutes of action. Jordan Poole scored a game-high 28 points and handed out a team-high seven assists for the Wizards, shooting 11-21 from the field.
Rookie Victor Wembanyama recorded the first triple-double of his career, compiling 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in 21 turnover-free minutes as the San Antonio Spurs routed the Detroit Pistons 130-108. At 20 years and six days old, Wembanyama became the youngest player to record a triple-double with zero turnovers since the NBA began tracking individual turnovers in 1977-78. The Pistons’ Jalen Duren scored a game-high 21 points and matched Wembanyama’s 12 rebounds, making 10 of his 16 shots from the field. Detroit has lost six straight games since snapping its NBA-record 28-game losing streak.
The Sacramento Kings’ Domantas Sabonis produced 24 points (9-13 field goals), 10 rebounds, and seven assists in a 123-98 blowout win over the Charlotte Hornets. Sabonis has recorded a double-double in each of his last 20 games, the second-longest such streak of his career. He’s averaging 21.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, and 8.4 APG with a field goal percentage of 61.5% over that span. Teammate Keegan Murray scored a game-high 25 points (11-18 field goals) and did not commit a turnover in 32 minutes played. Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 25 points, adding seven rebounds and a team-high six assists.
The Oklahoma City Thunder went on a 17-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters, keying a 128-120 victory over the Miami Heat. The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 28 points on 11-17 shooting from the field, also handing out eight assists. Teammate Chet Holmgren chipped in with 23 points (10-15 field goals), nine rebounds, and a game-high three blocks, while Jalen Williams contributed 19 points, a career-high 12 assists, and nine rebounds. Bam Adebayo tallied team highs of 25 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists (tied) for the Heat.
Jalen Johnson scored 25 points and recorded career highs of 16 rebounds and seven assists as the Atlanta Hawks took down the Philadelphia 76ers 139-132 in overtime. Trae Young had team highs of 28 points and 11 assists for the Hawks, although he misfired on 15 of his 22 shots from the field. Backcourt mate Dejounte Murray added 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists, hitting five of his seven attempts from 3-point range. The Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey poured in a game-high 35 points to go with a team-high nine assists and eight rebounds. Teammate Tobias Harris scored 32 points and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds, committing just one turnover in 41 minutes played.
The Chicago Bulls won in overtime for the second straight game, knocking off the Houston Rockets 124-119. The Bulls’ Coby White scored a game-high 30 points (6-11 on 3-pointers) and handed out a team-high eight assists, while backcourt mate Zach LaVine compiled 25 points, a team-high 13 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. Teammate Nikola Vucevic posted a double-double, scoring 18 points and hauling in a team-high 15 rebounds. Rockets center Alperen Sengun scored a team-high 25 points on 11-19 shooting from the floor, adding nine rebounds, and five assists. Houston also received solid efforts from Fred VanVleet (20 points, game-high 10 assists, three blocks) and Jabari Smith Jr. (18 points, team-high 15 rebounds).
The New Orleans Pelicans held a 19-point lead after one quarter and never looked back, demolishing the Golden State Warriors 141-105. New Orleans has won six of its last seven games, four of them by 20 or more points. Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas recorded team highs of 21 points (9-13 field goals) and nine rebounds in just 21 minutes of action. Frontcourt mate Zion Williamson had 19 points, seven assists and five rebounds, making eight of his 12 tries from the floor. Moses Moody led the Warriors with 21 points, with rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis adding a career-high 19 points on 9-11 shooting from the field.
The LA Clippers have won 16 of their last 19 games, the latest a 126-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors. The Clippers’ Paul George (12-22 field goals) and Kawhi Leonard (10-18) were the game’s high scorers, scoring 29 points apiece. George also had seven rebounds and six assists, while Leonard added seven assists. Immanuel Quickley recorded team highs of 25 points and six assists (tied) for the Raptors, hitting all nine of his free throws. Toronto’s other recent acquisition, RJ Barrett, scored 24 points on 10-16 shooting from the floor. Barrett is averaging 21.8 PPG with shooting percentages of 59.3% from the field and 53.6% from 3-point range in his six games as a Raptor.