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On an evening with all 30 groups enjoying, tonight’s Celtics-Grizzlies sport — with all due respect to OKC-Detroit — might need been the marquee contest. The Celtics led for many of the fourth quarter and staved off a late Memphis comeback to win 109-106.
Even with out the hulking presence of Steven Adams, Joe Mazzulla opted to start out the double-big lineup of Grant Williams and Al Horford. Memphis opened with a balanced scoring assault, with every of the 5 starters scoring on their first 5 buckets. Conversely, Marcus Sensible scored 10 of Boston’s first 12 factors. He then had back-to-back highlight-reel assists, the primary a one-handed flip to Jaylen Brown, and the second a wraparound bounce go to Jayson Tatum.
The Grizzlies hit 5 threes and led 34-28 after the primary quarter. After Santi Aldama hit a 3 to place Memphis up 40-31, the Celtics proceeded to go on a 20-0 run. They scored on every of their first 10 offensive journeys to open the second quarter. Their offense was unstoppable, trying like a continuation of Saturday night time’s taking pictures clinic at MSG.
However then they went chilly to shut the interval, not changing on a area purpose within the final 3:50. Jake LaRavia and Ja Morant hit a couple of threes whereas Dillon Brooks performed tenacious protection and obtained an open court docket steal that became a Brandon Clarke dunk. Boston led 65-54 at halftime.
Tatum scored 19 of his 25 first half factors through the second quarter. He solely shot 2 of 9 from three, however transformed on 7 of 9 free throws. The Celtics hit 9 threes, dished out 17 assists, and shot 52 % from the sector whereas limiting the Grizzlies to 40 % taking pictures. However Memphis, who leads the league in offensive rebounding proportion, grabbed seven of them for 13 second probability factors.
Morant, taking pictures 47 % from deep, hit two early third-quarter threes, however every time Memphis went on a run, Boston responded. Sensible had a world-class flop that drew a foul on the screen-setting Clarke then hit a 10-foot jumper on the opposite finish. Horford drilled a 3 then slammed dwelling an alley oop to place the Celtics up 80-68 on the 5:33 mark.
Then the tides turned. Within the final three minutes, the Celtics missed six photographs and had two turnovers. A John Konchar three punctuated a 10-0 run that put Memphis up 85-84 going into the fourth quarter.
With the sport tied at 90 and eight:42 remaining, Tatum splashed a 3, Brown discovered a driving lane, Sensible transformed on an and-1, then Tatum hit a floater that put Boston up by 10. Desmond Bane’s dunk with 1:44 left minimize the deficit to seven, and though Ja missed consecutive free throws, his three with 41 seconds minimize the rating to 105-101.
He almost obtained a steal on Sensible, however as a substitute was referred to as for a foul on Tatum when going for the free ball. Improbably, Tatum missed each free throws and a Brooks dunk made it a two level sport. Grant Williams, who in some way hadn’t scored a degree or taken a shot in 37 minutes of play, calmly hit two free throws after getting deliberately fouled, and the Celtics led 107-103 with 15 seconds to play.
The Grizzlies weren’t finished. Bane hit a 3 to chop the deficit to 1. However after Tatum hit his free throws, Memphis couldn’t get off a shot with two seconds remaining, and the Celtics gained 109-106.
Tatum completed with 39 factors on 12 of 25 taking pictures. Brown had a career-worst seven turnovers however poured in 21 factors and 9 rebounds, whereas Sensible added 15 factors and 12 assists. Morant completed with 30 factors, 9 assists, and eight rebounds, as Boston handed Memphis its first dwelling lack of the season. The Celtics subsequent play Detroit this Wednesday on the TD Backyard.
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