Kemba Walker responded after one of the worst performances of his career with 19 points and Jayson Tatum had a team-high 27 as the Boston Celtics outlasted the host Golden State Warriors, 111-107, in San Francisco on Tuesday, February 2 (Wednesday, February 3, Manila time).
In the opener of a five-game trip that followed a tough 96-95 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, the Celtics used a 15-2 fourth-quarter burst to turn a 94-91 deficit into a 10-point lead with 4 minutes remaining.
Grant Williams’ tip-in with 6:07 remaining gave Boston the lead for good at 98-96. Walker followed with a three-pointer before Jaylen Brown added a three-point play and a dunk, the latter opening a 106-96 lead with 4:00 to go.
The Warriors got as close as 107-104 with still a minute remaining, but Tatum and Williams dropped in two free throws apiece to keep the hosts at arm’s length.
Walker’s 19 points came in the wake of a four-point effort in the loss to the Lakers. He hit 3 three-pointers and Tatum made 4, combining for more than half of the Celtics’ team total of 13.
Brown finished with 18 points, Williams 15, and Tristan Thompson 13 for the Celtics, who had lost two straight and were playing without Marcus Smart, who injured his calf in Saturday’s loss.
Brown completed a double-double with 10 rebounds, while Daniel Theis had a team-high 11 boards to complement his 8 points.
Stephen Curry hit seven three-pointers on a 38-point night for the Warriors, who lost for the second time in their last 3 games. Curry also found time for a game-high-tying 11 rebounds and a game-high 8 assists.
Juan Toscano-Anderson, getting increased playing time with rookie star James Wiseman out with a wrist injury, had 16 points. Andrew Wiggins scored 15 points, Kelly Oubre Jr had 12, and Kent Bazemore added 10 for Golden State, which was swept in the two-game season series by Boston last year.
The Warriors outscored the Celtics 45-39 on three-pointers, with Toscano-Anderson padding Golden State’s total with a 3-for-3 night from distance.
Curry had 22 of his points in the first half, when the Warriors held the upper hand a majority of the time before settling for a 52-all tie.
The Warriors led by as many as 11 in the first half. – Rappler.com
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