Celts knot it up
30-point night for Horford as Boston evens series against Bucks
Al Horford poured in a career-playoff-high 30 points as the visiting Boston Celtics earned a 116-108 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night to even their Eastern Conference semifinal series at two games apiece.
The 15-year NBA veteran shot 11 of 14 from the field, including a 5-of-7 mark from 3-point range, to swing home court advantage back in Boston's favour. The Celtics overcame an 11-point, thirdquarter deficit.
Game 5 in the best-ofseven series is scheduled for Wednesday in Boston.
Jayson Tatum also had 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Celtics, and Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart both tallied 18 points. Smart dished out eight assists.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was outstanding once again, pacing Milwaukee with 34 points, 18 rebounds and five assists. He shot 14 of 32 from the floor.
Jrue Holiday contributed 16 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, and Brook Lopez supplied 17 points and seven rebounds.
Boston went on a 10-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to tie the game, and the Celtics outscored the Bucks 43-28 in the final period. It was the Celtics' highest-scoring quarter through eight post-season games this year.
KERR HAS COVID
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday before his squad's second-round playoff game against the visiting Memphis Grizzlies and was replaced by assistant coach Mike Brown for the matchup.
Reports indicated that Kerr tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. The 56-year-old has coached the Warriors since 2014 and guided the franchise to NBA titles in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
KINGS NAME BROWN
The Sacramento Kings named Mike Brown their new head coach on Monday.
Terms of the deal were not released but ESPN reported it would be a four-year contract for the Golden State Warriors assistant coach. The post will be Brown's third as a head coach.
“Mike has consistently demonstrated his ability to lead winning teams throughout his long and successful coaching career,” Kings general manager Monte McNair said in a statement. “He has worked with some of the best players in the NBA and is one of the league's premier defensive minds. I am excited to bring his extensive experience to Sacramento.”
Brown, former head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers, owns a 347-216 record as a head coach, including two 60-win seasons with Cleveland when LeBron James was in his mid20s.
The 52-year-old has worked on Golden State's staff since 2016 and was part of two Warriors title teams (2017 and 2018). The Warriors are still active in the 2022 playoffs, in the midst of a Western Conference semifinal series with the Memphis Grizzlies that will continue Monday.
Brown also helped Gregg Popovich's staff to an NBA title with the 2003 San Antonio Spurs and was named NBA Coach of the Year with Cleveland in 2009.
The Kings have missed the playoffs for 16 consecutive seasons, the longest drought in NBA history.
Sacramento fired thirdyear head coach Luke Walton early in the season after the Kings started 6-11. Interim head coach Alvin Gentry was not retained after the Kings finished 24-41.
WILLIAMS COACH OF YEAR
Monty Williams was named the 2021-22 NBA Coach of the Year on Monday after leading the Phoenix Suns to a league-best 64-18 record.
Williams received 81 of a possible 100 first-place votes and 458 total points from the voting panel of sports writers and broadcasters. Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins came in second with 270 points and 17 first-place votes. Erik Spoelstra of the Miami finished third in voting with 72 points and one first-place nod.
PAYNE SHOT DEAD
Former Michigan State star and NBA first-round pick Adreian Payne was shot and killed early Monday morning in Orange County, Fla., police said. He was 31 years old.
Orange County Sheriff's deputies responded to a shooting at 1:37 a.m. Monday morning to find Payne suffering from a gunshot wound.
He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police arrested 29-year-old Lawrence Dority on firstdegree murder charges.