Brown powers Celtics to victory, ending their losing run
Photo courtesy of AFP
Daily TribunePhoto courtesy of AFP
Jaylen Brown delivered a spectacular 44-point performance as the NBA champion Boston Celtics snapped a two-game losing streak, defeating the Indiana Pacers 142-105 on Friday.
Brown set the tone early, scoring 15 points in the first quarter, when the Celtics dominated with a 39-22 advantage. He finished with six of the team’s 23 three-pointers and added four steals, marking his highest scoring game since a 50-point outing against Orlando in January 2022.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla praised Brown's impact on both ends of the court: "He has the ability to impact a team and an arena with his energy and his physicality. When he gets into a certain zone, he just gets locked in."
Jayson Tatum contributed 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Payton Pritchard added 18 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists off the bench. Despite missing Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, the Celtics cruised to their biggest points total of the season, avoiding a three-game losing streak.
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 19 points, and Bennedict Mathurin added 18, but Indiana fell short in the matchup, which was a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference finals.
In Houston, Anthony Edwards hit a step-back three-pointer with 23.2 seconds remaining to give the Minnesota Timberwolves a 113-112 victory over the Rockets.
The Timberwolves trailed by 16 points with just under five minutes left but mounted a comeback. Edwards finished with 24 points, and Julius Randle led Minnesota with 27 points. Despite Fred VanVleet’s attempt to win the game for Houston, a missed three-pointer with 1.8 seconds left sealed the Rockets’ fate.
Alperen Sengun had a standout game for the Rockets, scoring 38 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, while Amen Thompson added 20 points. All five of Houston's starters scored in double figures, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the Timberwolves.
The New York Knicks extended their win streak to six games with a dominant 108-85 victory over the Orlando Magic. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 26 points and nine assists, while Josh Hart added 23 points and 13 rebounds.
Orlando, missing key players Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Moritz Wagner, was led by Jalen Suggs' 27 points but struggled against the Knicks’ defense and free-throw shooting.
San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama starred in his team's 96-87 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Wembanyama delivered 19 points, seven rebounds, and six blocks, leading the Spurs to a second-half surge.
The Spurs shot just 27.5 percent in the first half but exploded in the third quarter, connecting on 72.2 percent of their shots. Wembanyama was a key contributor, scoring 12 points in the third, including three three-pointers, helping the Spurs take control and secure the win.