NBA Hoops

Celtics overcome injuries, beat Raptors for 9th straight win

Celtics overcome injuries, beat Raptors for 9th straight win

TORONTO (AP) — Grant Williams scored a career-high 25 points, Jaylen Brown had 27 and the Boston Celtics overcame the absence of leading scorer Jayson Tatum to extend their winning streak to nine games by beating the Toronto Raptors 106-104 on Saturday.

Boston’s injury woes worsened when guard Marcus Smart injured his right ankle in the final minute of the first half and had to be helped to the locker room. He did not return.

Center Robert Williams stayed in the game after Brown collided with his left knee in the opening quarter. At halftime, Williams was ruled out for the second half because of a hyperextended knee.

Malcolm Brogdon scored 23 points and Payton Pritchard scored all of his 12 in the fourth quarter. The Celtics are unbeaten since a Jan. 3 defeat at Oklahoma City.

Pascal Siakam had 29 points and 10 assists, Gary Trent Jr. scored 22 points and Precious Achiuwa had 17 points and 11 rebounds in his first start of the season, but Toronto lost its third straight.

CAVALIERS 114, BUCKS 102

CLEVELAND (AP) — Evan Mobley scored a career-high 38 points, Darius Garland added 21 and Cleveland bounced back from an embarrassing loss with a win over Milwaukee, which was again without injured star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Mobley made sure the Cavs shook off their 120-114 loss a night earlier to the Golden State Warriors, who beat Cleveland despite resting Stephen Curry and three other starters.

The 21-year-old Mobley finished 19 of 27 from the field and had his top scoring performance as a pro without making a three throw or 3-pointer. He added nine rebounds.

Mobley scored 12 of Cleveland’s first 15 points in the fourth and the Cavs, who were without star Donovan Mitchell due to a groin strain for the third straight game, put together a 12-2 run to separate from the Bucks.

Jrue Holiday scored 28 and Bobby Portis Jr. added 23 for Milwaukee, which played its fifth straight game without Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP is nursing a sore left knee.

76ERS 129, KINGS 127

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 15 of his 32 points in the third quarter and Philadelphia, playing without Joel Embiid and James Harden, completed a perfect five-game road trip by beating Sacramento.

Maxey also had seven assists and six rebounds to help the 76ers overcome a 21-point deficit.

Embiid and Harden rested foot injuries but the rest of the 76ers snapped Sacramento’s six-game winning streak. Tobias Harris, Montrezl Harrell and Georges Niang all had 17 points for the Sixers.

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