Celtics crush Suns comeback

Reuters

Kyrie Irving scored five of his 19 points in the final 1:53 to help stop a Phoenix comeback and allow the Boston Celtics to escape with a 116-111 victory over the Suns on Saturday.

Phoenix had cut a late eight-point deficit down to two before Irving calmly drained a three-pointer with 1:53 left to start a crazy finish that saw the home team hold on for the win, despite 38 points from Devin Booker.

Booker, who scored 70 the last time he played at TD Garden, 51 in the second half, fouled out Saturday after hitting a three-pointer to bring his team to within three with 17.6 seconds left.

The win was the 10th in the last 11 home games for the Celtics, who are 20-2 in their last 22 games overall.

T.J. Warren scored 19 points and veteran big man Tyson Chandler delivered a season-high 18 rebounds and 14 points in the loss for Phoenix.

Mavericks 108, Clippers 82

JJ Barea came off the bench to collect 21 points and 10 assists and spark a second-quarter rally to help lead Dallas to an easy victory over Los Angeles.

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle became the 18th coach — third active — to win at least 700 career games.

Lou Williams (18 points, six assists) and DeAndre Jordan (14 points, 17 rebounds) led the Clippers, who lost their second straight game.

Hawks 114, Nets 102

Dennis Schroder scored 24 points to lead Atlanta past Brooklyn.

Schroder reached 20 points for the 12th time, and Luke Babbitt hit 7-of-9 shots, including 4-of-6 from three-point range, to score a season-high 20 points. Babbitt led a second unit that produced 56 points.

Pelicans 123,
Trail Blazers 116

DeMarcus Cousins poured in 38 points as New Orleans topped Portland.

E’Twaun Moore added 19 points and Jrue Holiday 17 for the Pelicans, who ended a three-game losing streak.

Damian Lillard scored 29 points and CJ McCollum and Meyers Leonard added 17 apiece for the Trail Blazers, who lost their second straight.

Cavaliers 116, Grizzlies 111

LeBron James scored 34 points, including his team’s final 13, in Cleveland’s win over Memphis.

The Cavaliers have now won 11 consecutive games.

James scored 15 overall in the fourth quarter and strengthened his grip on the NBA lead in fourth-quarter scoring.

He entered averaging 9.3 points in the fourth quarter, and it was his jumper with five seconds left that finished the Grizzlies. He added 12 assists in 39 minutes.

76ers 108, Pistons 103

Joel Embiid and Robert Covington had 25 points apiece as Philadelphia rallied to beat Detroit.

Embiid, who had engaged in a war of words with Detroit centre Andre Drummond earlier in the day, added 10 rebounds. He made just 7-of-21 shots from the floor, however.

Drummond, who fouled out with 2:35 left, finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

Bucks 109, Kings 104

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as Milwaukee beat Sacramento for the second time in five days.

Khris Middleton scored 25 points and Eric Bledsoe added 19 as the Bucks shot 49.3 per cent and hit 6-of-19 three-point attempts.

Zach Randolph had 22 points off the bench to lead the Kings, who also got 19 from Buddy Hield and 14 from De’Aaron Fox while shooting 48.1 per cent, including 11 for 24 from beyond the arc.

Nuggets 115, Lakers 100

Jamal Murray scored 28 points, Will Barton had 13 of his 16 points down the stretch, and shorthanded Denver rallied to beat Los Angeles.

Trey Lyles had a season-high 18 points and Gary Harris and Kenneth Faried had 13 points apiece. Faried had nine rebounds for Denver, who has won seven straight at home.

Brandon Ingram had 20 points, Brook Lopez and Julius Randle had 15 apiece, and Lonzo Ball had nine points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Lakers.