Depleted Celtics top Grizzlies
With 3 players sidelined, Boston holds off Morant for fourth straight victory
BOSTON — Derrick White scored 23 points to help a short-handed Boston team hold off Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies 119-109 on Sunday.
Sam Hauser added 20 points, tying his career-high with six 3-pointers, Al Horford had 16 points and Payton Pritchard 12 for Boston, which won its fourth straight. Celtics star Jayson Tatum didn’t have his sharpest game, finishing with 16 points but making 3-of-16 shots and missing 7-of-8 3point attempts.
Morant led the Grizzlies with 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while Desmond Bane scored 18 and
Jaren Jackson Jr. had 15 points and seven rebounds.
Boston was without starting point guard Marcus Smart, who missed his 10th straight with a bone bruise in his right ankle, as well as forward Jaylen Brown (facial fracture he suffered from an inadvertent elbow by Tatum) and reserve guard Malcolm Brogdon (sore Achilles).
Boston moved to 1⁄ games ahead of the idle Bucks for the Eastern Conference’s best record ahead of their matchup in Milwaukee on Tuesday.
Raptors 119, Pistons 118: Fred Vanvleet scored 35 points, topping 30 for a career-best ninth time this season, and Pascal Siakam added 28 points as the Toronto Raptors beat the Detroit Pistons 119-118 Sunday for their fourth win in five games. Scottie Barnes scored 20 points and Precious Achiuwa had 11 points and 11 rebounds as Toronto won its second straight win over Detroit after losing the previous six meetings. Toronto is 20-7 all-time when Vanvleet scores 30 or more points. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 33 points, Alec Burks had 21, and Hamidou Diallo and Jaden Ivey each had 18 for the Pistons. Detroit failed once again to win consecutive games for the second time this season. Ivey’s 3-pointer with 10.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter cut it to 116-113 before Vanvleet answered with a pair of free throws. Bogdanovic hit two free throws, but Achiuwa made one of two at the line to put Toronto up by four points with 4.4 seconds left. Ivey’s 3 at the buzzer wasn’t enough for the Pistons.
Pelicans: All-star Zion Williamson aggravated his previously injured right hamstring, extending the timeline for his return to “multiple weeks past All-star break,” basketball operations chief David Griffin .
Cavaliers: Cleveland is trying to finalize a contract agreement with veteran swingman Danny Green, a source said. A three-time NBA champion, Green began his pro career with the Cavaliers in 2009. Green became available after working out a buyout from Houston.