Celtics hold on to beat Clippers, Raptors edge Nets with Durant out
LOS ANGELES: Jayson Tatum scored a team-high 34 points and Kemba Walker delivered a late surge as the Boston Celtics rallied from a first-half deficit to hold on and edge the Los Angeles Clippers 119-115 on Friday.
Walker tallied 24 points and Carsen Edwards came off the bench to score 16 as the Celtics took over in the third quarter, setting the stage for a thrilling back and forth final quarter.
Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points and Lou Williams added 18 for Los Angeles, who saw its six-game win streak at Staples Center arena halted.
Both teams were without key starters. Boston was missing Jaylen Brown who sat out with a sore knee and the Clippers, were minus Paul George because of a toe injury and Patrick Beverley (knee).
The Clippers led by as many as 16 points late in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 62- 51 lead.
In Brooklyn, Pascal Siakam scored a season-high 33 points as the Toronto Raptors recorded a 123-117 win over the Brooklyn Nets, who lost forward Kevin Durant twice in the same game due to Covid-19 contact tracing protocols.
Siakam added 11 rebounds and six assists while shooting 12 of 23 from the floor and Kyle Lowry scored a season-high 30 points for the Raptors, who won for the eighth time in 12 games.
Lowry tied a season-best with a half dozen threes and helped clinch the victory by scoring on a layup with 35 seconds left to give Toronto a 121-113 lead.
"We missed some open looks and Lowry made some big shots," Nets coach Steve Nash said. "You add it all up and they found separation in the last couple of minutes."
The Raptors also took advantage of the loss off Durant who was held out of the starting lineup.
Durant was pulled from the starting lineup shortly before the opening tipoff and then allowed to come into the game in the first quarter. He scored eight points in 19 minutes before he was told by Nets officials to leave the bench and return to the dressing room midway through the third.
It was the first time in his 867game career that Durant entered a game as a reserve.