BOSTON — Jaylen Brown scored 37 points, completed a three-point game with 4.1 seconds remaining in regulation and added 11 more in overtime as the NBA-leading Boston Celtics snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating the archrival Los Angeles Lakers 125. Broke – Saturday Night 121.
Brown added nine rebounds, Jayson Tatum had 30 points and 11 rebounds, and Malcolm Brogdon scored 15 of his 26 points in the second half of a see-saw game that included 19 lead changes, six in the fourth quarter and 15 ties. were.
LeBron James had 41 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers. Anthony Davis had 16 points with 10 rebounds, coming off the bench for the second straight game after missing 20 with a foot injury.
Patrick Beverley scored 15 points twice in the last minute of the quarter to give the Lakers the lead. But he also missed a free-kick that could have achieved it and was called for a technical foul on the controversial final play of regulation time.
Beverley hit a 3-pointer to give the Lakers the lead with 52 seconds left, and then, after Boston tied, he scored on a dunk that made it 104–102 with 19 seconds remaining. But after Brown missed a 3-pointer, Beverley missed one of two free throws; Al Horford missed a 3-pointer and Brown scored on a kickback and received a delayed foul call.
One game after missing a pair of free throws in the final seconds of a one-point game, Brown scored to tie the score at 105 with 4.1 seconds left.
The Lakers had a chance to win it in regulation, and James drove to the basket. He missed the layup, and the referees did not see Tatum sliding his arm into the shot. An enraged James gestured wildly, and Beverly drew a technical foul in the ensuing scuffle.
With Celtics Hall of Famer Paul Pierce cheering on his former team from the sidelines and team announcers Cedric Maxwell of Boston and Mychal Thompson of Los Angeles trash-talking in the press row, the Celtics opened their two-game regular-season finale. overcame longtime rivals. Chain.
Boston (36-15) has the best record in the NBA despite losing its last three games, including an overtime loss to the Knicks on Thursday night, when Brown went 1-8 from two free throws. The remaining seconds were left behind.
As the visitors jumped out to an 11-point lead in the third quarter, a vocal contingent of Lakers fans were booing. But they were shut out by the hosts when Tatum, who scored 15 in the third, helped erase an 11-point deficit, including three 3-pointers.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
