Celtics lose Jaylen Brown, hold on to beat Sixers, 106-99
BOSTON — With three of Boston’s regular starters out — and Jaylen Brown soon to join them — Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White scored 19 points apiece to lead the Celtics to a 106-99 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
Jayson Tatum had 12 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for Boston, which won for the fourth time in five games to add to the NBA’s best record (39-16). The 76ers (3419) are second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference, having lost both matchups with the Celtics this season.
Joel Embiid scored 28 points and James Harden added 26 points and 11 assists for the Sixers, who lost their second game in a row. They had won nine of their previous 11.
Marcus Smart, Robert Williams III and Al Horford all missed the game with injuries. Blake Griffin got the start and hit five 3-pointers for a season-high 15 points, and Grant Williams scored 15 points and added eight rebounds.
BROWN OUT
Brown, who missed the previous game with a nonCOVID illness, left the game after colliding with Tatum under the basket when they were both going for an offensive rebound.
Brown appeared to take Tatum’s elbow in the left side of his head. He went to the floor and was slow to get up; when he did, he went straight to the locker room, rubbing his left eye and temple.
The team announced at the start of the third quarter that he had a facial contusion and would not return.
WIZARDS 118, HORNETS 104
WASHINGTON — Kristaps Porzingis scored 36 points and matched a career high with eight 3-pointers, and the Washington Wizards beat the Charlotte Hornets 118-104 on Wednesday night to stop a three-game skid.
Deni Avdija had 20 points and 13 rebounds and Bradley Beal had 17 points and 10 assists for the Wizards, who broke open a close game in the third quarter and handed the Hornets their fifth straight loss.
CAVS 113, PISTONS 85
CLEVELAND — Jarrett Allen scored 20 points, Evan Mobley added 19 and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their fourth straight game, 113-85 over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night despite resting their starting backcourt.
All-Star starter Donovan Mitchell (groin) and Darius Garland (thumb) got the night off to heal some nagging injuries and the Cavs barely missed their top guards, who average a combined 48.8 points.
With Allen and Mobley doing inside damage and combining for 21 points, Cleveland built an 18-point lead after one quarter.
The Pistons hung around and got within two in the third before the Cavs opened the fourth by outscoring Detroit 26-4 over the first seven minutes to put it away.
“Jarrett did a great job of setting the tone,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “There was a bunch of extra-effort plays that he made where he was just outworking the guy in front of him. He was able to get offensive rebounds, his teammates were finding him in the paint.
“And the same thing with Evan. They had opportunities to attack and were extremely aggressive.”
Allen added 14 rebounds as the Cavs outrebounded the Pistons 48-32 and held them to their lowest point total this season.
RAPTORS 112, SPURS 98
TORONTO — Pascal Siakam had 37 points and 10 rebounds, Fred VanVleet scored 16 points and the Toronto Raptors beat San Antonio 112-98 on Wednesday night, handing the struggling Spurs their 10th consecutive loss.
Chris Boucher had 18 points and 11 rebounds off the bench in Toronto’s third straight win.
Gary Trent Jr. scored 15 points, and Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa each scored 10 for the Raptors, who have won the past five meetings with the Spurs.