Celtics stretch win streak to 14
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NEW YORK: Kyrie Irving ditched his plastic mask and scored 11 of his 16 points in the final five minutes, sparking the Boston Celtics over Golden State 92-88 Thursday (Friday in Manila) in a showdown of the NBA’s top teams.
Rallying from a 17-point deficit nine points in his first game back in the third quarter, the Celtics from a bruised right thigh, the twostretched their win streak to 14 time NBA Most Valuable Player games, their longest since a 14struggling with foul trouble. game run in November and DeKlay Thompson’s 3-pointer with cember of 2010 and five shy of the 1:22 to play lifted Golden State club record set nine years ago. ahead 88-86 but the Celtics equal
Boston improved the NBA’s best ized on two Irving free throws after record to 14-2, having last lost in he was fouled by Thompson. their home opener to Milwaukee Draymond Green missed a 3on October 18, while the defendpoint shot and then fouled Irving, ing champion Warriors, who had who sank two free throws with 14 been atop the Western Conference, seconds remaining to put the fell to 11- 4 with their sevenCeltics ahead to stay. game win streak snapped. Durant missed a baseline jumper
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics and Boston grabbed the rebound, with 22 points while Al Horford setting up Tatum’s two free throws had 18 points and a game-high to produce Boston’s biggest lead 11 rebounds and Marcus Morris and final victory margin. and Jayson Tatum each contribIrving was supposed to wear a uted 12 points. protective plastic mask for two
Kevin Durant led Golden State weeks after suffering a facial fracwith 24 points but Stephen Curry ture last Friday, but removed it in was 3-of-14 from the floor for only the third quarter, the same time when the Celtics battled back.
Durant scored six points while Thompson and Green each added five in a 19- 7 Warriors run to open the second half that stretched Golden State’s lead to 66-49, matching the visitors’ largest advantage of the game.
The Celtics answered with 19 consecutive points to grab a 68-66 lead, Brown scoring 10 points in the run to set up the dramatic finish.
Golden State closed the first quarter on a 9-3 run to seize a 28-18 edge. Nick Young sank two 3-pointers and a free throw in the run.
Golden State led 44-27 after a 12-0 run in the second quarter. But the Celtics answered with a 15-3 run to close the second quarter, pulling within 47-42 at halftime, Brown scoring seven points to lead the spurt for Boston.
The Celtics kept Golden State without a basket for more than five minutes to end the half, the Warriors missing their last eight shots.
Gordon Hayward, whose season ended when he suffered a broken left leg in Boston’s opener, sat behind the Celtics bench in his first game appearance since the injury. eight assists and six steals.
“Our mentality is Final Four mode already,” said seasoned mentor Franz Pumaren after the Falcons secured a berth to the post- season.
The San Marcelino-based squad though is coming off a 54- 71 loss to Far Eastern U after seeing a key players Jerrick Ahanmisi and Pingoy sprain their ankles.
Last season, La Salle and Adamson also faced each other in the semifinals, with the Archers advancing to the finals via a 69- 64 victory and went on to win the crown.