Boston-Jayson Tatum had 40 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, and the Boston Celtics retained a late rally to overcome the Los Angeles 111-101 Lakers on Saturday night.
With LeBron James in the locker room with a tense groin, the Lakers cut a 20 -point deficit in the fourth quarter to a single digits. But Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored the last 12 Boston points to preserve victory.
Brown added 31 points when the Celtics obtained their fourth consecutive victory.
James finished with 22 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists before leaving in the middle of the last quarter.
Luka Doncic had 34 points and eight rebounds in his first game in Boston since he and Dallas Mavericks lost the game 5 of the NBA finals when Boston achieved his 18th championship.
Take food
LEKERS: Things collapsed in a third quarter in which they showed very little connectivity in the offensive. It is clearly something that sometimes is still missing with the addition of Doncic.
Celtics: Jrue Holiday returned after four consecutive games with the deck finger in his right pinky. But the Kristaps Porzingis center sat down for the fifth consecutive game with a disease.
Key moment
The multitude of TD Garden stood up with 3:50 remaining in the first quarter when Brown stripped Doncic, led a fast break and found a blow from Al Horford for a two -handed blow.
Horford’s impulse turned him forward, and inadvertently threw a maid in his head as he turned back. No foul was requested in the play, although Doncic was clearly irritated by the collision.
Key statistics
The Celtics kept the Lakers 21% of shots from the field (5 of 23) in the third quarter, with Los Angeles also committed six ball losses.
Next
The Lakers visit Brooklyn on Monday. Celtics receive Jazz on Monday.
