Celtics Race Past Wolves 134-112, Extend Win Streak To 6
BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 34 points and Jaylen Brown had 31 points and 10 rebounds on Sunday night to help the Boston Celtics coast to their sixth straight win, 134-112 over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Celtics won for the 24th time in their last 28 games and, combined with the 76ers loss to Phoenix a few minutes later, took over the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings for the first time this season.
This win came at the expense of the team that until recently had been the one of the hottest in the NBA: Minnesota is 12-5 since the All-Star break, winning 10 of 11 before back-to-back losses to Phoenix and Dallas this week.
Anthony Edwards scored 24 and Karl-Anthony Towns added 19 as the Timberwolves opened a four-game trip with a loss — their third in four games.
The Celtics scored 13 of the first 15 points in the second quarter to open a double-digit lead they never relinquished. It was 72-49 at halftime.
By that point, the only question was whether Tatum would move into the NBA lead in scoring. He did, finishing the day with 1,923 points to pass Atlanta's Trae Young (1,915) for the top spot.
The Celtics star already has one of the top 15 scoring seasons in Celtics history and has seven games left to become the seventh player in franchise history to top 2,000 points in a season. He would join John Havlicek, Paul Pierce, Larry Bird, Isaiah Thomas, Kevin McHale, Sam Jones.
OUT
The Celtics were without forward Al Horford, who missed the game for undisclosed personal reasons. Minnesota missed Malik Beasley, who left Friday night's game with a sprained ankle.
FINED
The NBA fined Timberwolves forward Taurean Prince $15,000 on Sunday for making an obscene gesture on the court in their 116-95 win over Dallas. At end of the third quarter of Friday night's game, Prince and Dallas' Luka Doncic both got technical fouls for exchanging words.
TIP-INS
Robert Williams III had 13 points and 10 rebounds before limping off the court at the end of the third quarter, with the Celtics up 26, and did not return. The team said he had a left knee sprain. ... Brown and Tatum both tested their sore knees before the game and were cleared to play. ... Towns was removed for a substitute late in the third quarter. He walked off the court and straight to the locker room. ... It's the seventh time this year Tatum and Brown have scored at least 30 apiece.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: At Toronto on Wednesday night.
Celtics: At Toronto on Monday night.
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