BOSTON – Vacation in February was awaiting both the Celtics and the Los Angeles Clippers when they got together Thursday night.
After getting through a nationally televised game at the TD Garden, the players had a seven-day break in the schedule for the NBA All-Star Game.
Given the show that the Celtics and Clippers put on, though, they didn’t look past the final game before the hiatus.
For the second time this season, the Celtics and Clippers needed [...]
BOSTON – Vacation in February was awaiting both the Celtics and the Los Angeles Clippers when they got together Thursday night.
After getting through a nationally televised game at the TD Garden, the players had a seven-day break in the schedule for the NBA All-Star Game.
Given the show that the Celtics and Clippers put on, though, they didn’t look past the final game before the hiatus.
For the second time this season, the Celtics and Clippers needed extra time to decide a winner, and this time it was the Celtics prevailing, with Jayson Tatum leading the way.
The Celtics outlasted the Clippers, 141-133, in double overtime with Tatum scoring 39 points on 14 for 23 shooting with five 3-pointers while grabbing nine rebounds. It may have been the best game of Tatum’s career.
Marcus Smart was brilliant as well with 31 points, hitting five 3-pointers while coming up with five steals, and Gordon Hayward made clutch plays late, finishing with 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.
Kemba Walker missed 12 of 17 shots but scored 19 points and had nine rebounds and seven assists. Daniel Theis also was in double figures with 12 points before fouling out.
Lou Williams came off the bench and scored 35 points on 14 for 33 shooting to lead the Clippers while Kawhi Leonard added 28 with 11 rebounds and Montrezl Harrell chipped in with 24 points and 13 rebounds.
The Celtics had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but Walker missed a 15-footer just before the buzzer, and a chance to win at the end of the first OT but Tatum couldn’t hit a 3-pointer.
The Celtics never trailed in the second overtime, taking a 130-127 lead when Walker hit a 3-pointer 1:10 into the period. After the Clippers tied it, Smart picked up a loose ball and Tatum scored on a drive for a 134-130 lead with 3:10 to go.
Harrell scored on a dunk, but Hayward made a 3-pointer, then blocked Williams on a drive.
In the first overtime, the Clippers opened a 122-118 lead with 2:35 to go on a 3-pointer by former Celtics forward Marcus Morris, who was acquired by Los Angeles last week.
But Smart hit a 3-pointer just 20 seconds later, and after a basket by Williams, Smart hit two foul shots to get the Celtics within 124-123 with 1:22 remaining.
Tatum scored on a spectacular drive with 53.5 seconds left for a 125-124 lead, and after denying Leonard, Tatum scored again when he drove by Leonard with 24.8 seconds left.
But Landry Shamet made a 3-pointer with 20.4 seconds to go for a 127-127 tie and Tatum was unable to convert a 3-pointer just before the buzzer.
The Celtics were in front by four going into the last quarter and had a six-point lead when Tatum scored on a drive with just under six minutes to go, making it 105-99.
But Harrell made three foul shots and Williams scored in the lane to get the Clippers within 105-104. A put-back by Theis was answered by a 3-pointer by Williams to create a 107-107 tie with four minutes left.
Theis made two foul shots and Williams scored in the lane to make it 109-109, but Tatum put the Celtics back in front with a 3-pointer with 2:28 to go. Williams and Tatum exchanged baskets with the Celtics holding a 114-111 lead with 1:30 remaining.
Morris grabbed an offensive rebound, fed Shamet and got the ball back to hit a tying 3-pointer with 45.9 seconds remaining. Smart then turned the ball over and Leonard was called for an offensive foul with 10.7 seconds to go.
Tatum scored five points in the final 32.6 seconds of the third quarter to put the Celtics in front, 91-87, going into the last 12 minutes.
The Celtics had been in front by two at the half, then opened the third quarter on a 12-4 run. Hayward scored the first five points with a 3-pointer and two foul shots, then added another 3-pointer for a 72-62 lead with 8:51 to go.
The Clippers rallied behind Shamet (10 in the quarter) and were within 86-84 when Tatum scored on a dunk, and after a Williams 3-pointer, Tatum finished the quarter with a 3-pointer.
There were 13 ties and seven lead changes in the first half, which ended with the Celtics holding a 60-58 advantage. Tatum (15), Walker (13) and Smart (12) did most of the scoring.
Neither team led by more than four points in the second quarter when there were four ties and five lead changes. The Celtics were ahead, 47-43, with 7:50 to go on an Enes Kanter put back, but the Clippers moved in front, 53-50, on a Leonard 10-footer with 4:08 left.
Theis contributed three baskets inside in the final 2:53 to enable to the Celtics to take the halftime lead. Walker scored 11 of his points in the second quarter while Leonard had 17 at the break.