Celtics prey on Leonard-less Clips
BOSTON — Kemba Walker had 25 points and six assists, and the Boston Celtics took advantage of a late scratch of All-Star Kawhi Leonard and held off the Los Angeles Clippers 117-112 Tuesday night.
Jaylen Brown finished with 18 points. Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard each added 14 as the Celtics posted three straight victories for the first time since January.
The Clippers, who have lost five of eight, played without Leonard after he was ruled out shortly before the game due to back spasms.
Paul George led Los
Angeles with 32 points. Reggie Jackson took Leonard’s place in the starting lineup and had 25 points and seven assists.
SUNS 114, LAKERS 104
Dario Saric scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, and Phoenix overcame Devin Booker’s ejection to win at Los Angeles.
Booker scored 17 points before getting ejected for arguing in the third quarter, but the Suns cruised to their 15th victory in 18 games too move past the defending champions into second place in the Western Conference.
HAWKS 94, HEAT 80
Trae Young scored 18 points, including 13 straight in the fourth quarter, and visiting Atlanta snapped Miami’s six-game winning streak in Nate McMillan’s debut as interim coach.
Atlanta fired coach Lloyd Pierce on Monday.
NUGGETS 128, BUCKS 97
Nikola Jokic had 37 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his ninth triple-double of the season and 50th of his career, and Denver won at Milwaukee to snap the Bucks’ fivegame winning streak.
Jamal Murray added 24 points as the Nuggets won their third straight.
SPURS 119, KNICKS 83
Trey Lyles scored a season-high 18 points, Dejounte Murray added 17 and host San Antonio used a balanced effort to beat New York.
The Spurs had eight players score at least eight points. Patty Mills and Luka Samanic each added 14.
GRIZZLIES 125, WIZARDS 111
Ja Morant had 35 points and 10 assists, De’Anthony Melton and Dillon Brooks each added 20 points in Memphis’ road victory.