Celtics have 31-3 run in comeback victory

DENVER >> Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown fueled a 31- 3 run that helped the Boston Celtics put the skids on the NBA’s hottest team with a 105-87 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

The Nuggets looked well on their way to their ninth straight victory when they took a 79- 65 lead in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Facundo Campazzo.

Boston outscored the Nuggets 40- 8 the rest of the way. The Celtics had been held to 16 first- quarter points and trailed by 14 early on.

Brown started the epic run with a nifty bucket and Tatum provided the biggest highlights, including eight straight points on a trio of free throws, a jumper and a 3-pointer.

Tatum finished with 28 points two days after a career-best 53-point performance against Minnesota, and Brown had 20. Tatum (illness) and Brown (sore left knee) starred despite being listed as questionable before tip- off.

Michael Porter Jr. led Denver with 20 points. Nikola Jokic had 17 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. PELICANS 116, CAVALIERS 109 >> Zion Williamson scored 38 points and Brandon Ingram had 27 points and eight assists in rallying New Orleans past Cleveland.

Williamson fell one shy of his career best of 39 set March 26 against Denver.

He made 16 of 22 field goal attempts and had nine rebounds as New Orleans pulled within one game of the final play-in tournament spot in the West.

BUCKS 124, MAGIC 87 >>

Khris Middleton scored 21 points, Bobby Portis added 16 points —making four 3-pointers — and 10 rebounds and Milwaukee beat Orlando to end a three-game losing streak.

Milwaukee was without Giannis Antetokounmpo for a sore left knee. Middleton shot 8 of 13 from the field and added eight rebounds and five assists.

HAWKS 105, HORNETS 101 >>

Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 32 points on a career-high eight 3-pointers and Atlanta rallied to beat Charlotte without Trae Young.

TIMBERWOLVES 121, BULLS 117 >> Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points and 12 rebounds, D’Angelo Russell scored 27 and Minnesota beat Chicago.

PACERS 132, GRIZZLIES 125 >> Caris LeVert scored 34 points, Malcolm Brogdon and Donantas Sabonis fell just short of triple- doubles and Indiana held on for a victory over Memphis.

SPURS 119, MAVERICKS 117 >> DeMar DeRozan hit the tiebreaking jumper with 0.5 seconds left, giving him 27 of his 33 points in the second half and lifting San Antonio to a victory over Dallas.

KNICKS 102, RAPTORS 96 >>

Julius Randle scored 26 points and New York recovered after blowing an 18-point lead to beat Toronto.