The Boston Celtics defeated the Sacramento Kings 113-95. Jayson Tatum scored 25 points with 7 rebounds and 8 assists but left the game with an ankle injury in the third quarter. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 20 points and 10 assists. The Celtics were without Sam Hauser, Al Horford, and Xavier Tillman. Meanwhile, Sacramento missed Malik Monk, Devin Carter, and Doug McDermott. This game tied the season series 1-1. The Boston Celtics improved to 53-19, winning six consecutive games. The Kings dropped to 35-36.
A Close First Half
The Kings defeated the Boston Celtics in their last meeting in the TD Garden. Jrue Holiday started things with a three-pointer, but Sacramento quickly took the lead. Keegan Murray made a pair of threes, and Keon Ellis converted an acrobatic and-one. This gave them a bit of a cushion as Domantas Sabonis made his presence felt on the glass. They never went up by double digits but maintained a firm lead for most of the quarter. However, in the closing seconds, Tatum and Payton Pritchard drilled three-pointers to put the Celtics ahead. At the end of the first quarter, the Boston Celtics led 30-29. Tatum had 11 points and Murray had 8.
The Kings took the lead back in the second quarter, beginning a back-and-forth between both teams. Pritchard stayed hot for Boston while Sabonis continued to score for Sacramento. Tatum knocked down a deep three to give the Celtics a lead, and Baylor Scheierman followed it up by getting a steal and making a flashy behind-the-back pass for a layup. Scheierman has gotten more minutes over recent games since the All-Star break and has been making the most of them. Tatum made another step-back three to extend Boston’s slim lead. At halftime, the Boston Celtics led 56-51.
Again, Tatum was everywhere for the Boston Celtics. The night after a 30-point performance against the Trail Blazers, he had 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists at halftime. He shot 5-of-11 from the field and 4-of-7 from three. Pritchard was their next leading scorer with 14 points off the bench. Sabonis and Murray each had 10 points while DeRozan had 8. They kept the first half tight, as both teams traded the lead. It was still anyone’s game.
Boston Celtics Win, Tatum Goes Down
In the third quarter, Sabonis continued to grab second-chance points for the Kings. But the Boston Celtics maintained their lead. Derrick White and Jaylen Brown made three-pointers, and Tatum stayed dominant. He was firing on all cylinders, and his efforts helped the Celtics build their lead.
But then, on a step-back three, Sabonis contested and landed underneath Tatum’s foot. The shot went in, but Tatum was writhing on the floor in pain. He was clutching his ankle, and Sabonis received a flagrant foul for the incident. Tatum stayed in the game to make 1-of-2 free throws before exiting to the locker room. After he left the game, DeRozan got a few buckets to help Sacramento close the gap entering the fourth quarter. Through three quarters, the Boston Celtics held an 88-78 lead, but with Tatum out, they still had to win the game.
White and Scheierman made three-pointers to keep Boston ahead in the final quarter. Scheierman made a key play, tipping an offensive rebound and making a corner three to put the Celtics up by 13. Pritchard made a deep three after that, and the team went on a run. The defense tightened up, holding the Kings scoreless for almost five minutes to take a 20-point lead. Sacramento tried to battle back, but that run essentially sealed the game. The Boston Celtics won 113-95.
Final Thoughts
The Boston Celtics improved to 53-19 with the win. But the biggest concern coming out of the game was Tatum’s sprained ankle. There is some optimism, as Tatum was reportedly joking with his teammates after the game and left the arena with no crutches or boot, just a slight limp. He scored 25 points with 7 rebounds and 8 assists in three quarters. Pritchard had 22 points off the bench, and the Celtics won their sixth game in a row.
The Kings fell to 35-36. DeRozan had 20 points, and Sabonis had 16 points and 17 rebounds. They lost their third game in a row, and only hold a half-game lead over the Suns and Mavericks, who are vying for the play-in tournament.
