In a late-night battle in Sacramento, the Celtics entered Golden1 Heart with a five-game win streak on Monday night time, which they prolonged to 6 because of a 113-95 win.
Boston (53-19) was led in scoring by Jayson Tatum with 25 factors (8/15 FG, 8 assists, 7 rebounds) whereas the Kings (35-36) bought 20 factors from DeMar DeRozan (9/24 FG).
The matchup noticed the return of Jaylen Brown into the lineup, who missed 4 of the previous 5 video games with a knee impingement. It meant the primary time since Feb. 23 that the beginning 5 of Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Vacation, Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis had been collectively.
The Celtics entered the sport with out Sam Hauser (low again stiffness), Al Horford (left massive toe sprain) and Xavier Tillman (left knee joint sprain) whereas the Kings had been with out Devin Carter (sickness), Malik Monk (sickness) and Doug McDermott (proper elbow).
It was a sluggish begin out of the gate for the Celtics, who trailed 19-11 coming into the primary media break at 6:55. Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis lifted the Kings early, with Murray connecting on two threes out of the gate and Sabonis scoring six factors within the opening quarter.
The Celtics recovered because of an energetic quarter closeout from Tatum, who was concerned within the ultimate 16 factors scored. Tatum scored 9 of these factors, together with a runner from past the arc, whereas helping on the opposite seven, the final of which got here on a kickout cross to Payton Pritchard for a buzzer-beating triple that gave the Celtics a 30-29 lead coming into the second quarter.
With Tatum off the ground to begin the second quarter, the lead modified palms six occasions within the first six minutes, whereas White and Porzingis each picked up three fouls to ship them to the bench. Behind a lineup of Tatum, Vacation, Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman and Luke Kornet, the Celtics gained the ultimate six minutes 14-11 to take a 56-51 lead into halftime.
Tatum led that lineup with two extra 3-pointers so as to add to his team-high 17 first half factors, however arguably the largest spotlight of the quarter got here from Scheierman, who jumped a cross for a steal and served up a behind-the-back dime to Pritchard for a simple layup.
The Celtics opened the third quarter capturing 1/7 — the lone make being White’s first factors of the night time on a 3-pointer — however Boston ultimately mixed stops with makes and pushed the result in 10 after a Brown mid-range jumper and a fast Tatum layup with eight minutes to go.
Boston and Sacramento traded 3-pointers quickly after, with Brown, White and Tatum all connecting from deep, although Tatum’s second 3-point bucket of the quarter resulted in a worrisome sequence as he fell down in ache after a Sabonis closeout interfered together with his touchdown house and resulted in a Flagrant foul. Tatum stayed within the sport to shoot his free throws, hitting considered one of two earlier than heading to the locker room.
Sustaining possession after the foul, Porzingis bought in on the perimeter motion together with his personal 3-point make, giving Boston seven factors in a 19-second sequence. Boston stored management of the lead regardless of Tatum’s absence, holding an 88-78 benefit going into the fourth quarter.
The Celtics fired on all cylinders to open the fourth, beginning with a Scheierman three and a White layup off the glass for a 93-79 lead.
After the Kings bought it again right down to 10, Scheierman’s hustle on the glass stored a Celtics possession alive that ended with him large open within the nook to hit his third 3-pointer of the sport. A fast sequence then noticed Pritchard bury his fifth 3-pointer whereas Kornet scored on a basket interference for a 105-87 lead with 6:13 left to play.
A 12-0 Celtics run then pushed the result in 22, and Joe Mazzulla despatched in the remainder of the Keep Prepared group with 1:12 to play.
Subsequent up for the Celtics is a nationally-televised matchup at PHX Enviornment to tackle the Suns on Wednesday, March 26 at 10 p.m.
