Brown nets 40, Celtics beat Lakers 121-113 for 5th straight

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/04/2021 (1985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LOS ANGELES – Jaylen Brown scored four of his 40 points in the final minute, and the Boston Celtics blew most of a 27-point lead in the fourth quarter before holding on for their fifth straight victory, 121-113 over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

Brown made 13 of his first 14 shots and hit three 3-pointers while falling two points shy of his career high for the Celtics, who have won eight of 11 despite an embarrassing finish at Staples Center.

Payton Pritchard and Marcus Smart added 15 points apiece for the Celtics, who never trailed. Boston won despite just 14 points from Jayson Tatum, whose streak of scoring 20 points in 11 consecutive games ended.

Horton-Tucker scored 19 points and Marc Gasol had 18 for Los Angeles, which has alternated wins and losses since March 28.

BUCKS 120, HAWKS 109

ATLANTA (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 15 points in his return to Milwaukee lineup and got plenty of help from his teammates as the Bucks cooled off surging Atlanta.

Antetokounmpo had missed six games with an ailing left knee before getting cleared to return in Atlanta, where he starred in the NBA All-Star Game last month.

He played 25 minutes in his return, hitting 7 of 12 shots to go along with five rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block. He didn’t have to carry too much of a load as the Bucks put seven players in double figures, led by Jrue Holiday with 23 points.

Bogdan Bogdanovic led the Hawks with 28 points, hitting six 3-pointers. Trae Young returned after missing two games with a calf injury but had a terrible night, connecting on just 3 of 17 shots.

The Hawks lost for only the sixth time in 22 games since Nate McMillan took over as interim coach.

SUNS 122, KINGS 114

PHOENIX (AP) — Deandre Ayton had 26 points and 11 rebounds, Devin Booker added 23 points and Phoenix won its 10th straight home game, beating Sacramento.

The Suns haven’t lost in their home arena for nearly a month.

The Suns improved to 40-15 for the season, hitting 40 wins for the first time since 2014.

The Kings have lost nine straight. Sacramento was led by De’Aaron Fox, who scored 27. Buddy Hield added 24.

WARRIORS 119, CAVALIERS 101

CLEVELAND (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 33 points — topping 30 for a career-best ninth consecutive game — and Golden State beat Cleveland.

Curry missed his first eight attempts beyond the arc, finishing 4 of 13, in leading Golden State to its season-high fourth straight win.

Andrew Wiggins scored 23 points, Juan Toscano-Anderson had 20 and Draymond Green added five points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Warriors.

Collin Sexton scored 30 points in his return from a two-game absence with a strained groin and Jarrett Allen had 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Darius Garland added 20 points and seven assists.

___

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports