Horford helps Celtics snap losing streak against Spurs
Knicks hold on to prevail in high-scoring clash against Nuggets
Al Horford delivered 14 points and 13 rebounds as the Boston Celtics won their fifth straight and snapped an 11-game losing skid to the San Antonio Spurs with a 10894 win on Monday.
Kyrie Irving played his best game for the Celtics who beat the injury-depleted Spurs for the first time in Boston since January 2011.
The Celtics have rallied from an 0-2 season start that saw them lose new signee Gordon Hayward to an injury in the opening game at Cleveland. “We’re just really buying into what the coach wants us to do and our young guys, they’re all ears,” said Horford. “They’re all listening, trying to be better.”
Irving led his new team by scoring 24 points, while Jaylen Brown scored 18 for the Celtics who improved to 5-2 on the 2017-18 NBA season. Former first overall draft pick Irving was dealt to the Celtics in the off-season after demanding a trade out of Cleveland. Terry Rozier scored eight his 12 points in 52 seconds put the game away in the of to fourth quarter and rookie Jayson Tatum grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots. Marcus Smart added nine points and seven rebounds in the win. The Spurs are still without injured Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker. Manu Ginobili also skipped the game to get some needed rest.
In New York, Kristaps Porzingis scored a career-high 38 points as the New York Knicks held on for a 116-110 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Porzingis, of Latvia, produced his fifth 30-point game of the season and eighth of his career.
He made 14 of 26 shots, including four three-pointers, and surpassed his previous career best set November 16
Monday’s games
Boston Minnesota New York Charlotte Orlando Philadelphia Utah Toronto Golden State 108 125 116 104 115 115 104 99 141 San Antonio Miami Denver Memphis New Orleans Houston Dallas Portland LA Clippers 94 122 110 99 99 107 89 85 113
against the Detroit Pistons. “Some of the stuff that he does, we look at each other on the bench and go ‘man he really just did that,’” Knicks centre Enes Kanter said.