Celtics spank Spurs

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Jayson Tatum scored 25 points and Jaylen Brown added 24 to lead the National Basketball Association-best Boston Celtics over San Antonio 134-101 on Sunday, stretching their win streak to six games.

Kristaps Porzingis added 14 points and a
game-high nine rebounds for the Celtics, who improved to 26-6.

Boston also got 17 points from Derrick White, who spent five seasons with San Antonio before joining the Celtics in a 2022 trade. He heard chants of "White's an All-Star" from the Texas fans.

"I've got a lot of respect for the fans here, great memories here," White said. "I'm just thankful."

Boston outscored the Spurs 40-23 in the third quarter to pull away for good.

"Just had that mindset of third quarter is important and coming out ready to go," White said. "We finished the first half well and kept it going from there."

Tatum made 10-of-17 shots from the floor, 5-of-10 from 3-point range, while Brown went 9-of-13 from the floor, hitting both 3-point attempts, and 4-of-6 from the free throw line.

French 19-year-old rookie star center Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 (2.24m) top pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the host Spurs, who fell to 5-27.

Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram each scored 26 points and the host New Orleans Pelicans avenged an In-Season Tournament semi-final loss by ripping the Los Angeles Lakers 129-109.