Celtics hand Sixers first defeat

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Jaylen Brown scored 32 points and the Boston Celtics knocked Philadelphia from the ranks of the unbeaten 109-108 on Friday as the National Basketball Association (NBA) Cup in-season tournament began.

The Celtics avenged a 117-116 loss to the 76ers in their opener at Boston and improved to 3-3 while dropping the host Sixers to 4-1.

“Just grit. I think we just slugged it out,” said Brown, whose 13-of-19 shooting including 4-of-7 from three-point range.

“We made a bunch of mistakes but we found a way to win in the end.”