Tatum three-pointer has Boston buzzing with excitement
Jayson Tatum hit a three-pointer at the buzzer in overtime as the Celtics rallied to beat the Toronto Raptors 126-123 in their NBA clash in Boston.
Tatum finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday night (Sunday AEDT). Jaylen Brown added 27 points, and Al Horford and Derrick White scored 18 points apiece.
Toronto have lost seven straight and failed to register their first road win of the season despite getting a career-high 35 points from Jakob Poeltl. RJ Barrett added 25 points and 10 rebounds.
With the game tied at 112-112 in regulation, Barrett connected on a runner in the lane and was fouled by Brown with 59 seconds remaining, but missed his ensuing free throw.
Boston’s Neemias Queta, who started in place of Jrue Holiday (left knee tendinopathy), scored a driving lay-up on Boston’s next possession.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, LaMelo Ball scored 19 of his 26 points in the second half as Charlotte overcame Giannis Antetokounmpo’s first triple-double of the season to beat Milwaukee 115-114.
Antetokounmpo had a chance to win the game at the buzzer, but his foul-line jumper rimmed out.
Australian Josh Green had a terrific game for the Hornets, contributing 15 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Miles Bridges returned from a three-game absence and scored 19 points, while Moussa Diabate added 12 points and 14 rebounds off the bench for the home side.
Taurean Price had 23 points for the Bucks, while Antetokounmpo finished with 22 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists.
In Sacramento, after scoring 60 points in a losing effort the previous night, De’Aaron Fox scored 49 points to lead the Kings to a 121-117 win over the Utah Jazz.
Fox went 16-of-30 from the field and made 14-of-19 from the free-throw line, and also added nine assists and two steals.
He now has the most points over a two-game span in franchise history, surpassing DeMarcus Cousins.
Lauri Markkanen had 25 points, Collin Sexton added 18 points and Keyonte George scored 19 points for the Jazz.
In New Orleans, Anthony Davis had 31 points and 14 rebounds as Los Angeles extended their winning streak to five games with a 104-99 victory over the Pelicans.
LeBron James highlighted a 21-point performance with a pair of pivotal three-pointers in the final minutes, but his career-long four-game triple-double streak came to an end.
Rookie Dalton Knecht hit five threes to finish with a career-high 27 points for the Lakers.
One night after posting 40 points and 12 rebounds in a victory at San Antonio, Davis reached the 30-point plateau for the eighth time in 12 games this season.
Brandon Ingram scored 32 points, and reserve Jaylen Nowell scored 16 points for the Pelicans, who have lost 10 of their past 12 games.
In Dallas, Kyrie Irving and Daniel Gafford scored 22 points apiece as Dallas snapped a four-game losing streak with a 110-93 win over San Antonio, who played without star centre Victor Wembanyama.
The 221cm Wembanyama, last season’s NBA Rookie of the Year, was sidelined with a bruised right knee.
Zach Collins, Wembanyama’s replacement in the starting line-up, led the Spurs with a season-high 20 points.
Gafford set a season high for points as the Mavericks got a season-best 54 from their bench.
#Tatum #threepointer #Boston #buzzing #excitement