Celtics snap losing streak to injury-hit Spurs
LOS ANGELES: Al Horford delivered 14 points and 13 rebounds as the Boston Celtics won their fifth straight and snapped an 11-game losing skid to the San Antonio Spurs with a 108-94 win on Monday (Tuesday in Manila).
Kyrie Irving played his best game for the Celtics In New York, Kristaps Porzingis scored a careerwho beat the injury-depleted Spurs for the first high 38 points as the New York Knicks held on for time in Boston since January 2011. a 116-110 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
The Celtics have rallied from an 0-2 season start Porzingis, of Latvia, produced his fifth 30-point that saw them lose new signee Gordon Hayward game of the season and eighth of his career. He to an injury in the opening game at Cleveland. made 14 of 26 shots, including four three-point
“We’re just really buying into what the coach ers, and surpassed his previous career best set Nowants us to do and our young guys, they’re all vember 16 against the Detroit Pistons. ears,” said Horford. “They’re all listening, try“Some of the stuff that he does, we look at each ing to be better.” other on the bench and go ‘ man he really just did
Irving led his new team by scoring 24 points, that,’” Knicks center Enes Kanter said. while Jaylen Brown scored 18 for the Celtics who Kyle O’Quinn finished with 15 points and 12 improved to 5- 2 on the 2017- 18 NBA season. rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Former first overall draft pick Irving was dealt Tim Hardaway scored all 13 of his points in to the Celtics in the offseason after demanding the fourth, while Kanter and Courtney Lee cona trade out of Cleveland. tributed 12 apiece.
Terry Rozier scored eight of his 12 points in Serbia’s Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 28 52 seconds to put the game away in the fourth points. Jamal Murray added 20 for Denver, which quarter and rookie Jayson Tatum grabbed 11 reused a 22-2 run in the third and outscored the bounds and blocked three shots. Knicks 38-19 in the period.
Marcus Smart added nine points and seven reAfter withstanding the difficult third, the bounds in the win. Knicks took an 84- 81 lead into the fourth and
The Spurs are still without injured Kawhi expanded it to 100- 93 on a three- pointer by Leonard and Tony Parker. Manu Ginobili also Hardaway with about seven minutes left before skipped the game to get some needed rest. Porzingis finished it off.
San Antonio got a career-high 18 points and five Elsewhere, Rudy Gobert had 17 points, 12 rerebound performance from Brandon Paul. bounds, six blocks and a career- high six assists
Pau Gasol had 11 points and eight rebounds for to lead the Utah Jazz to a 104- 89 victory over the Spurs who suffered their third straight loss on a the Dallas Mavericks. 1-3 road trip. They won at Miami to start the trip. The Jazz improved to 4-0 at home this season.