CELTICS STRETCH STREAK, WOLVES WIN
NEW YORK: Jaylen Brown scored 30 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 22 as the Boston Celtics stretched their NBA win streak to eight games on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) by defeating New York 116-102.
The Celtics improved to the NBA’s best record to 45-12 and boosted their win streak to a season high while stretching their Eastern Conference lead over second-place Cleveland to eight games.
Jayson Tatum added 19 points, six rebounds and six assists as Boston had six scorers in double figures.
“We’ve got so many good players on our team,” Tatum said. “We always talk about respecting each other’s space. It’s about understanding it’s a rhythm game. It’s going to come back to you eventually.”
Tatum says the players adopt a long-term approach, keeping in mind the overall goal is an NBA title in June.
“We have a really good team and we understand the important goal, what we’re really trying to accomplish, so every single night we’re trying to share the love, play the right way and make sure we win more often than not,” Tatum said.
Jalen Brunson had game highs of 34 points and nine assists to lead the Knicks, who fell to 34-23.
Porzingis, who began his NBA career with the Knicks in 2015, sank two 3-pointers and Brown scored five points in a 17-5 thirdquarter Boston run that gave the Celtics their biggest lead to that point at 84-71 on the way to a 97-84 lead after three quarters — the Celtics hitting 68 percent of their shots from the floor entering the fourth quarter.
At Minneapolis, the Minnesota Timberwolves seized sole possession of the Western Conference lead with a 101-86 victory over Brooklyn.