The defending NBA champions Boston Celtics dominated the Golden State Warriors 125-85 on Monday, whereas league-leading Cleveland earned a victory in opposition to the Phoenix Suns.
Jayson Tatum scored 22 factors with 9 rebounds and 7 assists earlier than spending your complete fourth quarter for the Celtics, who handed the Warriors their worst dwelling loss since a 149-104 loss to Dallas in 1985.
Kristaps Porzingis added 18 factors and Jaylen Brown added 17 for Boston, which took full benefit of the absence of Draymond Inexperienced, the Warriors’ newest harm sufferer after straining his left calf on Saturday.
“These are among the tough video games within the NBA, when (groups) have star gamers out, different guys have a special position,” Tatum mentioned. “We have been on the receiving finish of it a number of occasions this 12 months, so we had been simply attempting to lock in the entire time.”
Trailing by 15 at halftime, the Celtics scored 43 factors within the third quarter.
Stephen Curry scored 18 factors to steer the Warriors and Moses Moody added 13 off the bench – the one Golden State gamers to attain in double figures.
“We’ve to flush this one down the bathroom,” head coach Steve Kerr mentioned, calling the blowout “demoralizing.”
It was simply one of many lopsided outcomes because the NBA marked the Martin Luther King Jr. vacation with a sequence of one-day video games.
Donovan Mitchell scored 33 factors to energy the Cavaliers to a 118-92 win over the Phoenix Suns.
The harm absences of Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert did nothing to decelerate the Cavs, who led by 32 factors en path to enhancing their league-best document to 36-6.
Kevin Durant scored 33 factors with seven rebounds to steer the Suns, however Devin Booker – who had scored no less than 30 factors within the Suns’ final 5 video games – was held to fifteen factors on six-of-14 capturing.
Gathering of pelicans
In New Orleans, the Pelicans staged the best comeback in franchise historical past, erasing a 25-point deficit to beat the Utah Jazz 123-119 in extra time.
CJ McCollum scored 24 of his 45 factors within the fourth quarter and extra time, and Dejounte Murray added 26 factors and 11 assists for the Pelicans.
They notched their fifth win of their final six video games regardless of the absence of ailing star Zion Williamson.
In Memphis, Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 24 factors and grabbed 11 rebounds to assist the Grizzlies get well from a 16-point deficit and beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-106.
Desmond Bane added 22 factors and Ja Morant scored 19 for Memphis, which took its first lead of the second half on Bane’s floater within the lane with 3:21 to play.
“It was ugly from the beginning, however we stored competing and located an answer till the top,” Bane mentioned.
Anthony Edwards scored 32 factors to steer the Timberwolves, however missed a possible game-winning 3-pointer as time expired.
New York’s Jalen Brunson scored 34 factors to propel the Knicks to a 119-110 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
Trae Younger scored 27 factors, main seven Hawks gamers to attain in double figures, however Atlanta noticed its three-game profitable streak finish.
The Detroit Pistons overcame two straight dwelling losses with a 107-96 victory over the Rockets in Houston.
Cade Cunningham scored 32 factors with 9 rebounds and 7 assists and Jalen Duren added a double-double of 16 factors and 14 rebounds with 4 steals and two blocked pictures.
