Streakbusters

We’ve got to stay locked in and stay focused and be ready for every challenge every night.

Bogdan Bogdanovic and the Sacramento Kings halt the 10-game winning streak of the Boston Celtics. AFP

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Bahamian guard Buddy Hield scored a season-high 35 points and the Sacramento Kings snapped the Boston Celtics’ 10-game NBA win streak with a 100-99 home triumph on Sunday.

Sacramento center Richaun Holmes sank two decisive free throws with 13 seconds remaining to give the Kings their fifth win in seven games after a 0-5 start.

“Thank God we were able to pull off this win. We definitely needed this,” Hield said.

“We’ve got to stay locked in and stay focused and be ready for every challenge every night.”

“We know what we’re doing. We’re going to try to take it one game at a time and we’ll be fine.”

Boston fell to 10-2, having not lost since their season opener 3 1/2 weeks ago at Philadelphia.

The Celtics, led by Jaylen Brown’s 18 points, saw the end of their longest win streak since taking 16 in a row early in the 2017-18 campaign.

Hield’s three-pointer with 1:52 remaining gave the Kings a 96-95 lead.

Boston’s Jayson Tatum answered with a jumper but Hield, who went 14-of-24 from the floor, struck again with a fadeaway only for Boston to answer on a Daniel Theis dunk, giving the Celtics a 99-98 edge with 52 seconds remaining.

Holmes was fouled going for a rebound by Boston’s Marcus Smart and sank two free throws to put the Kings ahead by the final margin.

Smart missed a jumper for the win at the final buzzer and Sacramento secured the victory.

Serbian swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic had 12 points and 10 assists for the Kings while Serbian forward Nemanja Bjelica added 12 points and 14 rebounds for Sacramento.

Boston guard Kemba Walker added 15 points and nine assists, Smart had nine assists, Brown grabbed eight rebounds, Tatum had 14 points and Theis contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics.

Meanwhile, Denver’s Jamal Murray scored 39 points and Paul Millsap added 23 to lead the Nuggets over host Memphis 131-114 for their fifth win in six road contests.

Jaren Jackson led the Grizzlies with 22 points.

Tobias Harris scored 27 points to lead six Philadelphia players in double figures as the 76ers rolled to a 114-95 triumph at Cleveland.

Cameroon center Joel Embiid added 14 points for the 76ers and Australia’s Ben Simmons had 10 points and 11 assists for Philadelphia. Collin Sexton led the Cavaliers with 17 points.

With Orlando clinging to a three-point lead, Magic guard Markelle Fultz made a steal and dunk then sank a free throw with 36 seconds remaining to lift the hosts over the Washington Wizards 125-121 in a matchup of struggling Eastern Conference clubs.

Montenegrin big man Nikola Vucevic led Orlando (6-7) with 30 points and 17 rebounds while Frenchman Evan Fournier had 25 points and Fultz had a 45-game career-high 19 points for the Magic, who ended a 4-1 homestand.

Bradley Beal scored 34 points to lead Washington (3-8) and crack the NBA career 10,000-point mark.