Celtics rout Rockets to improve to 19-0 at home
Jayson Tatum had 27 points and eight rebounds before being ejected on back-to-back technical fouls and the Boston Celtics remained unbeaten at home with a 145-113 victory over former -coach Ime Udoka and the Houston Rockets on Saturday night.
Jaylen Brown scored 32 points and the Celtics improved to 19-0 in the TD Garden — the first time in the history of the muchdecorated franchise that it has opened a season with more than 17 wins in a row.
Cam Whitmore scored 22 points and Alperen Sengun had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Houston. The Rockets have lost three of their last four to drop their record to 19-19. They won just 22 games all last season.
Tatum was tossed for the second time in six weeks,
picking up his first technical for complaining about a non-call with 10:17 left in the fourth quarter and Boston leading 117-90. He continued to complain while Aaron Holiday took the foul shot and picked up a second T, then walked over to referee CJ Washington and leaned in to shout
something before walking off the court.
WIZARDS 127, HAWS 99
Kyle Kuzma scored 29 points and Washington took advantage of Atlanta’s worst offensive night this season to rout the Hawks.
Jordan Poole added 20 points to help the Wizards
snap a six-game losing streak and improve to 4-18 on the road. It was their largest victory of the season.
Atlanta shot a seasonlow 34%. Trae Young had 21 points on 6-of-19 shooting.
THUNDER 112, MAGIC 100
Shai Gilgeous-alexander scored 37 points and Oklahoma City beat shorthanded Orlando to tie Minnesota for the Western Conference lead.
Gilgeous-alexander had his high points total without making a 3-pointer. He missed all four of his 3-point tries, but was 13 of 16 inside the arc and made 11 of 12 free throws.
Jalen Williams scored 16 points and Chet Holmgren added 15 to help the Thunder improve to 27-11. Paolo Banchero had 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Magic. They have lost three straight.
BUCKS 129, WARRIORS 118
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points and Milwaukee Used a big fourth quarter to pull away against short-handed Golden State.
The Warriors rested Stephen Curry in the second night of a road back-toback and are still without Draymond Green. Coach Steve Kerr said he could return from his suspension Monday in Memphis or Wednesday at Utah.
Damian Lillard added 27 points for the Bucks. Jonathan
Kuminga led the Warriors with 28.
KNICKS 106, GRIZZLIES 94
Julius Randle had 24 points and 11 rebounds, OG Anunoby scored 18 points and New York beat makeshift Memphi.
Miles Mcbride, starting in place of the injured Jalen Brunson, added a career-high 19 points, along with six assists for the Knicks. They have won six of seven.
GG Jackson led the Grizzlies with 20 points and six rebounds.
Over the last week, leading scorer Ja Morant had season-ending shoulder surgery, and Marcus Smart’s injury to his right ring finger will keep him out at least six weeks. Then, Friday night in a loss to the Clippers, Desmond Bane, the team’s secondleading scorer, sprained an ankle and was on crutches Saturday.