Lou makes history off the bench as Clippers top Celtics
LOS ANGELES — Lou Williams scored 34 points to become the most prolific bench scorer in NBA history as the Los Angeles Clippers continued their charge toward the playoffs with a 140-115 victory over the visiting Boston Celtics on Monday.
Danilo Gallinari scored 13 of his 25 points in the opening quarter, and Montrezl Harrell added 20 points as the Clippers won their fifth consecutive game and improved to 9-3 since their roster was restructured at the trade deadline.
With the victory, Los Angeles moved into sole possession of sixth place in the Western Conference.
Williams, who leads the NBA in points off the bench this season, passed Dell Curry as the highest scoring player off the bench of all time and now has 11,154 as a reserve in his career. Curry had 11,148 points as a reserve.
It was Williams’ eighth game of the season with at least 30 points, all since Dec. 28.
Terry Rozier scored 26 points for the Celtics, who saw their three-game winning streak end. Boston went 3-1 on a four-game road trip, all against California teams. Jaylen Brown scored 22 points, and Kyrie Irving added 18 and 11 assists for the Celtics.
Unlike the Clippers’ 123-112 victory at Boston on Feb. 9, when Los Angeles set a franchise record by rallying from a 28-point, first-half deficit, the Clippers took control of this one early.
Los Angeles led 25-19 after one quarter and had a 62-49 lead at halftime after shooting 72.2 percent from the field in the second quarter. The Clippers shot 61.6% from the field for the game as seven players scored in double figures.
Ivica Zubac had 14 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 12 for the Clippers, who tied their longest winning streak of the season, first done in November. Patrick Beverley and Landry Shamet added 11 each for Los Angeles.
Marcus Morris had 11 points and Al Horford added 10 for the Celtics.
Wilson Chandler made his Clippers debut in the fourth quarter and scored two points. He was acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers in the trade-deadline move that cost Los Angeles leading-scorer Tobias Harris, but had not played with his new team because of a quadriceps injury.
The Celtics were playing without forward Jayson Tatum, who missed his first game of the season because of right shoulder soreness. —