BOSTON (AP) – Montrezl Harrell forced two turnovers in the final two minutes and Patrick Beverly hit a pair of 3-pointers in front of the Boston bench Saturday night to help the retooled Los Angeles Clippers overcome a 28-point, first-half deficit and beat the Celtics 123-112.
One game after the Lakers rallied from 18 points down to win in Boston on Rajon Rondo’s buzzer-beater – and six days after the Patriots beat the Rams in the Super Bowl – the Clippers turned the “Beat L.A.! chants” to boos. The Celtics collapse corresponded to the loss of Kyrie Irving, who left with a sprained knee in the second quarter, when the game seemed comfortably in hand.
Harrell scored 21 points, Danilo Gallinari had 19 points and 10 rebounds and trade deadline acquisition Landry Shamet scored 17 points.
Gordon Hayward scored 19 points and Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier had 16 apiece for Boston. The Celtics followed their highest-scoring half of the season with their lowest-scoring quarter and lost at home to a team from Los Angeles for the second straight time.
Boston scored 15 straight points and finished the first quarter with a 23-point lead, then extended it to 68-40 in the second. The Celtics led 74-53 at halftime, but the Clippers outscored them 28-12 in the third.
Los Angeles finally tied it 100-all, bringing boos from the crowd that expected an easy victory against a team that traded away leading scorer Tobias Harris at the deadline and added five new players. Gallinari followed with a jumper to give the Clippers their first lead.
RAPTORS 104, KNICKS 99
NEW YORK – Marc Gasol had seven points and six rebounds in his Toronto debut and the Raptors sent New York to its 16th straight loss.
HORNETS 129, HAWKS 120
ATLANTA – Kemba Walker hit nine 3-pointers and scored 37 points, Marvin Williams added 27 points and Charlotte beat Atlanta to snap a two-game skid.
JAZZ 125, SPURS 105
SALT LAKE CITY – Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points, Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 13 rebounds and Utah beat San Antonio.
PACERS 105, CAVALIERS 90
INDIANAPOLIS – Bojan Bogdanovic scored 23 points and Indiana beat Cleveland for its fifth straight victory.
WIZARDS 134, BULLS 125
CHICAGO – Bradley Beal scored 31 points to help Washington beat Chicago in the first meeting between the teams since they swapped three forwards in a multiplayer trade.
GRIZZLIES 99, PELICANS 90
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Joakim Noah had season highs of 19 points and 14 rebounds to lead new-look Memphis past New Orleans.
