The Boston Celtics overcame the absence of Kristaps Porzingis and Jaylen Brown to beat the Philadelphia 76ers and secure the top position in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday.
Jayson Tatum was the top scorer for Boston Celtics, contributing 29 points, while Derrick White added 27 points to help secure a 117-107 win for Boston against Philadelphia on the road. This victory propelled Boston to the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings with a 9-2 record, while the Sixers dropped to second place with an 8-3 record.
“Top to bottom we’ve got a lot of guys who can do a lot of good things,” said White, who scored 14 fourth quarter points to shepherd the Celtics to victory.
“I’ve been pretty bad the past couple of games, I just wanted to go out there and compete and do what I do and make some shots,” White said.
A thrilling game at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia featured 11 lead changes, with Boston quickly gaining a 17-point advantage in the second quarter. The Sixers rallied to end the first half with a strong performance, taking a 58-57 lead. However, Boston made a comeback in the third quarter, outscoring Philly 26-17 and securing an eight-point lead going into the final quarter.
Milwaukee Bucks 128 Toronto Raptors 112
In another game on Wednesday, Damian Lillard scored 37 points, made 13 assists, and grabbed four rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Toronto Raptors 128-112 on the road. The victory marked a successful return to Toronto for Bucks coach Adrian Griffin, who previously served as an assistant coach for the Raptors before joining Milwaukee in May after the dismissal of Mike Budenholzer.
Despite missing the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks dominated the game after taking an early lead in the first quarter, leading by as much as 33 points in the third quarter. Lillard received support from Malik Beasley, who scored 30 points including eight three-pointers, and Bobby Portis, who contributed 18 points off the bench, while Khris Middleton added 11 points as the Bucks improved their record to 7-4 for the season. Toronto’s leading scorer was Scottie Barnes with 29 points.
Sacramento Kings 125 Los Angeles Lakers 110
In Los Angeles, both LeBron James and D’Angelo Russell scored 28 points each, but it wasn’t sufficient to prevent the Lakers from losing 125-110 to the Sacramento Kings. The Kings maintained the lead throughout the game, securing their fourth consecutive victory with strong performances from Domantas Sabonis (29 points), Kevin Huerter, and De’Aaron Fox, who both finished with 28 points each.
Phoenix Suns 133 Timberwolves 115
In other NBA games on Wednesday, Phoenix stopped Minnesota’s seven-game winning streak with a 133-115 victory, led by 31 points each from Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. The Suns dominated the first half, outscoring the Timberwolves 76-54. Phoenix coach Frank Vogel was impressed by Booker’s performance after returning from a calf injury. “His leadership on our team is really invaluable,” Vogel said. “He was great tonight.”
Dallas Mavericks 130 Washington Wizards 117
On Wednesday in another location, the Dallas Mavericks secured a 130-117 victory over the Washington Wizards with Tim Hardaway Jr. scoring 31 points and Luka Doncic contributing 26 points.
Orlando Magic 96 Chicago Bulls 94
In Chicago, Paolo Banchero’s last-second jump shot secured a thrilling 96-94 victory for the Orlando Magic over the Bulls. The game seemed headed for overtime after Zach Lavine’s impressive three-pointer tied the score at 94-94 with eight seconds remaining. However, Banchero calmly drove to the basket on Orlando’s final possession, spun, and made the game-winning shot. Banchero scored 17 points on 4-of-12 shooting in a low-scoring game, while Lavine led Chicago with 19 points.
READ ALSO: The Top 10 Most Popular Teams in the NBA
