Celtics tie NBA three-pointer mark, wrap up East’s No. 2 seed; Knicks clinch third spot with victory over Raptors
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NEW ORLEANS & NEW YORK — The Boston Celtics matched an NBA single-game record with 29 made three-pointers on Friday night, cruising past the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans 144-118 to lock up the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed and the Atlantic Division title.
Celtics 144, Pelicans 118
Reserve forward Sam Hauser poured in 24 points and hit eight of Boston’s 29 threes. Jaylen Brown scored 23 points in 29 minutes, while Payton Pritchard added 21 points and 10 assists. Eight Celtics connected on at least two shots from deep, including center Neemias Queta, who made the first three-pointer of his career.
Boston controlled the contest from the opening tip, building a lead that ballooned to 41 points. Star forward Jayson Tatum sat out as the club continues to monitor his minutes following offseason Achilles surgery.
Knicks 112, Raptors 95
At Madison Square Garden, Jalen Brunson’s 29 points on 12-of-18 shooting powered the New York Knicks past the Toronto Raptors 112-95, securing the No. 3 seed in the East and guaranteeing home-court advantage in the first round. Karl-Anthony Towns supplied 22 points and 10 rebounds, and New York stretched its winning streak to five.
The Knicks seized control with a 29-15 second quarter and never trailed after halftime. Toronto trimmed the deficit to nine midway through the third, but New York answered with a 9-0 burst and finished the night with a 58-48 scoring edge in the paint.
Brandon Ingram led the Raptors with 16 points, while JaKobe Walter and Scottie Barnes scored 15 apiece. OG Anunoby exited in the second quarter because of a left ankle injury and did not return. Toronto, now 45-36, remains sixth in the conference heading into its regular-season finale and has dropped all five meetings with New York this year.
Source: Hoops Wire
