Jayson Tatum had 32 points and reached a milestone as the Boston Celtics kept their perfect record intact with a 124-114 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.
Tatum grabbed 11 rebounds and was 6 of 10 from 3-point range. He was one of five players to finish in double figures as the Celtics improved to 5-0 to remain the league’s only unbeaten team.
Tatum scored his 10,000th career point in the second quarter, becoming the youngest player in franchise history to reach that milestone.
Jaylen Brown had 23 points, Kristaps Porzingis added 22 and Jrue Holiday tallied 18 points and 10 assists for Boston, which is off to its best start since opening 6-0 in 2009-10.
The Nets cut the deficit to 96-95 on Dennis Smith Jr.’s 3-pointer with 7:47 left, but the Celtics responded with a 14-4 spurt over a two-minute span with Tatum scoring nine points in that stretch.
Cam Thomas led Brooklyn with 27 points and Spencer Dinwiddie and Mikal Bridges added 19 apiece. The Nets played without starting center Nic Claxton (sprained right ankle), starting forward Cam Johnson (strained left calf) and starting guard Ben Simmons, who sat out with back injury maintenance.
Hornets overcome Haliburton’s 43 points
Mark Williams scored 27 points and the Charlotte Hornets overcame Tyrese Haliburton’s career high-tying 43 points in a 125-124 win over the Indiana Pacers.
Gordon Hayward had 23 points and Terry Rozier added 20 before leaving in the fourth quarter with a left groin strain.
Charlotte snapped a three-game losing streak despite allowing Indiana to score 50 third-quarter points.
Williams scored on a layup with 63 seconds remaining to put the Hornets up 125-122 but Buddy Hield’s basket made it a one-point game. Hield was fouled but missed the potential game-tying free throw.
Haliburton had a chance for the winning basket but LaMelo Ball, who had 11 assists, forced a turnover before he could get a shot off.
Haliburton, who added 12 assists, tied a franchise record with 25 points in the third quarter as the Pacers erased a 54-46 halftime deficit for a 96-92 lead.
Embiid, Oubre help 76ers stay hot
Joel Embiid had 26 points and 11 rebounds and Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 25 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to their fourth straight win, 112-100 over the Phoenix Suns.
Tyrese Maxey shook off a slow start to finish with 22 points and 10 assists, and Tobias Harris had 18 with 10 rebounds as the 76ers won their fourth in a row since a season-opening loss to Milwaukee.
Kevin Durant kept the Suns close with 31 points, but no teammate had more than 13 points.
Phoenix played without Devin Booker (sprained left ankle) and Bradley Beal (back spasms) in its third straight loss.
Clippers forward Leonard out indefinitely
Los Angeles Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard is out indefinitely, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said before Game 4 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
Leonard missed Los Angeles’ final eight regular-season games due to inflammation in his right knee and then sat out the series opener before returning to action.
However, he's clearly not at full strength after combining for 24 points in Games 2 and 3.
A three-time First-Team All-NBA selection, Leonard played in 68 games during the regular season – his most since 2016-17 - and averaged a team-high 23.7 points to go along with 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.63 steals per contest.
Dallas leads the series 2-1, with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles.
GK One gives Community Basketball League a financial boost
The GraceKennedy Financial Group (GKFG) has announced that GK One is the official title sponsor of the GK One Howard McCatty Community Basketball League for the 2024 season. The partnership builds upon GKFG's ongoing commitment to supporting local communities and promoting youth development through sports, following another successful staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Track & Field Championships (Champs) last month.
"GK recognizes the importance of investing in initiatives that empower and inspire our youth," said Rickardo Ebanks, Chief Digital Officer, GKFG. "GK One is thrilled to be a part of the Community Basketball League 2024 Season and contribute to the continued success of the competition."
The Howard McCatty Community Basketball League has been a cornerstone for young Jamaican athletes providing opportunities for growth, mentorship, and teamwork. With a rich history of nurturing talent and fostering a love for the game, the league serves as a vital platform for aspiring players to showcase and develop their skills on a path to the National Basketball league.
GK One is GraceKennedy’s all-in-one app which offers a suite of GKFG services, allowing users to receive Western Union remittances to their mobile wallet, make bill payments, apply for a First Global Bank Visa Credit Card, and purchase insurance, anytime and anywhere. The app’s companion prepaid Visa debit card also allows customers to pay for goods and services wherever Visa is accepted.
Through the sponsorship, GK One will support the league's mission of promoting sportsmanship, leadership, and academic achievement among participants. The partnership will enable the league to deliver over 100 games throughout the season, provide resources for coaching and player development, and expand its reach within the community.
"We are grateful for the generous support of GK One," expressed Calvin Martin, Vice President and League organizer. "Their commitment to our league will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our players, helping us to further our impact and grow the game of basketball in Kingston and St Catherine. I encourage other corporate entities to follow the lead of GK One and invest in our communities – especially through sports.”
Beyond financial support, GK One will also engage with participating communities by hosting youth basketball clinics, fan engagement events, and supporting mentorship programmes led by the league. Players and fans will also benefit from access to financial services offered by GKFG.
GK One and the Howard McCatty Community Basketball League look forward to a successful 2024 season and partnership focused on empowering young athletes, fostering community connections, and inspiring the next generation of basketball stars.
Bucks star Lillard to miss Game 4 against the Pacers with Achilles injury
Already without two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks won’t have Damian Lillard in the lineup for Game 4 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
Lillard played nearly 45 minutes in Milwaukee's 121-118 overtime loss in Game 3 on Friday but was ineffective down the stretch after aggravating a lingering Achilles issue.
The defeat was the second straight in the series for the third-seeded Bucks after defeating No. 6 seed Indiana in Game 1.
Antetokounmpo has not played since straining his left calf on April 9 and remains out Sunday, meaning Milwaukee will be without its two leading scorers as it tries to avoid a 3-1 deficit in the series.
Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points this season with Lillard adding 24.3 per game. But with Antetokounmpo sidelined, Lillard averaged 32.3 points in the first three contests against the Pacers to pace Milwaukee.
Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday.
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