JAYSON Tatum racked up a season-high 51 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in the last 64 seconds, and the Boston Celtics defeated the host Charlotte Hornets 130-118 on Monday (Tuesday in Manila).
Tatum shot 15-for-23 from the field, making seven 3-pointers, and connected on all 14 of his free-throw attempts. He holds the franchise record for regular-season games with 50 or more points at five.
Jalen McDaniels pumped in a career-high 26 points and LaMelo Ball poured in 25 for the Hornets. Mason Plumlee scored 19 points, P.J. Washington added 17 points and Terry Rozier finished with 14.
Boston, which won its seventh game in a row, led by 17 points in the first half, but the margin was down to 100-98 with about nine minutes left. A 7-0 run increased the Celtics’ lead to 110-101. The gap swelled to 121-110 on a pair of Tatum free throws and Derrick White’s basket off a drive as Boston pulled away.
In other games, it was the Raptors 123, Knicks 121 (OT); Grizzlies 136, Suns 106; Warriors 127, Wizards 118; Bucks 132, Pacers 119; Jazz 126, Wolves 125; Hawks 121, Heat 113; and Pelicans 113, Cavs 103.
Raptors 123, Knicks 121 (OT)
O.G. Anunoby scored six of his 10 points in overtime as Toronto won at New York. RJ Barrett put up 32 points for the Knicks, including a buzzer-beating dunk to force overtime.
Anunoby’s second 3-pointer of the overtime gave Toronto a five-point lead with 2:48 to play. New York cut into the deficit, but Jalen Brunson (26 points) missed a 3-point attempt in the final second of overtime.
Fred VanVleet scored 33 points for the Raptors, who won for the fourth time in five games.
Toronto’s Scottie Barnes added 26 points, and Pascal Siakam had 20 points, eight rebounds and nine assists before fouling out in OT. Randle had 21 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists for the Knicks, who had their three-game winning streak end. — Field Level Media
