Irving, Leonard lead teams to victory
Kyrie Irving finally rediscovered his shooting touch and steered Boston to a 108-105 victory over Detroit, handing the Pistons backto-back losses after a 4-0 start. Boston coach Brad Stevens said: “He’s way too good of a scorer for the ball not to go in very long and all that stuff evens out over time.” In Toronto, Kawhi Leonard powered the Raptors past the Philadelphia Sixers, 129-112.
BOSTON— After averaging 14 points through the first six games, Kyrie Irving knew he was due to start hitting some shots.
Irving broke through Tuesday night with a season-high 31 points and led a third-quarter surge that put Boston in command of a 108-105 win over Detroit, handing the Pistons backto-back losses after a 4-0 start.
“I was taking shots that they were giving me,” said Irving, who made 10 of 16 shots from the floor and added five assists and five rebounds. “Me taking someof those shots made the defense come out a little higher, then created some other opportunities for my teammates, which felt good.”
Irving’s effect on the game showed in the box score as well with four of his teammates also scoring in double figures as the Celtics won their third straight.
Jayson Tatum scored 16, Jaylen Brown had 14 points and Al Horford scored 11 for Boston. Marcus Morris had 15 points and nine rebounds.
Irving’s previous high this season was 22 on Monday against Orlando. He scored just three Saturday when the Celtics beat the Pistons, 109-89.
Toronto Triumphs
“Law of averages,” Boston coach Brad Stevens said. “He’s way too good of a scorer for the ball not to go in very long and all that stuff evens out over time.”
In Toronto, Kawhi Leonard turned in another strong effort at both ends of the floor, and the Raptors responded well after their first loss of the season.
Leonard scored 31 points, Pascal Siakam had 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, and the Raptors rolled past Philadelphia, 129-112, on Tuesday night, handing the 76ers their 12th consecutive defeat north of the border.
Kyle Lowry had 20 points and 13 assists, extending his streak of double-digit assist games to a career-best six.
“Nice bounce back,” Lowry said. “Good win.”
Jonas Valanciunas scored 23 points and Serge Ibaka had 16 as the Raptors set a season high in points and broke a franchise record with their sixth straight home win to begin the year.
Leonard led Toronto with four steals and the Raptors had 13 in all, hounding Philadelphia into a season-worst 23 turnovers.
“It’s just his natural instinct for getting his hands on stuff,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said of Leonard. “The ball is popping around and boom, he comes out of there with it.”
Ben Simmons narrowly missed a triple-double, finishing with 11 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, but also committed 11 turnovers. Asked afterward about Leonard’s defensive abilities, Simmons called the Toronto star “a freak.”
“His hands are huge, he’s got long arms,” Simmons said. “He’s a great defender.”
Leonard returned to Toronto’s lineup after sitting out Monday’s loss at Milwaukee, the second time this season he has been rested in one half of a back-to-back.
Leonard did not speak to reporters after the game because he was lifting weights.