AP

Tatum scores 30; Celtics pull away from Kings, 122-104

Nov 25, 2022, 5:28 AM | Updated: 8:53 pm

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings guard Kevin H...

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)


              Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) drives through the Sacramento Kings' defense during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
            
              Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown calls to officials during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
            
              Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives through the Sacramento Kings during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
            
              Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and the NBA-best Boston Celtics pulled away from the Sacramento Kings for a 122-104 victory on Friday night.

Jaylen Brown added 25 points and Derrick White had 16 for Boston (15-4), which won for the 11th time in 12 games. Al Horford finished with 13 points, and Tatum had eight rebounds.

“We just needed some energy,” Brown said. “There’s games like that where the officiating kind of slows the game up, a lot of calls. We were looking for something to give us a little bit of a spark.”

De’Aaron Fox led Sacramento with 20 points. Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Davion Mitchell scored 13. The Kings have lost two straight after a seven-game winning streak.

“I felt we had too many turnovers, unforced turnovers,” Kings coach Mike Brown said. “To have 18 on the road against the best team in the NBA for 27 points is hard to overcome. Situations like this, if the ball’s not going in, you’ve got to be good with the basketball.”

In a matchup of two of the league’s hottest teams in November, the Celtics opened a 16-point lead early in the second quarter before the Kings’ league-best offense got rolling just before halftime, closing to 64-62 at intermission.

From there, the game bogged down with numerous fouls and some sloppy and inconsistent offense for much of the third quarter before Boston took off on a 19-0 run that closed the quarter and extended into Sam Hauser’s 3 at the start of the fourth.

“I said during one of the timeouts that we can’t expect everything to go our way all the time,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “We’re going to be down six in the third quarter sometimes and that’s OK.”

Horford’s 3 gave Boston a 25-point lead with just over five minutes to play.

TIP-INS

Kings: Brown and Fox were each whistled for a technical foul by referee Natalie Sago midway into the opening quarter. … Were just 2 for 10 on 3-point attempts in the opening quarter and finished 9 of 36.

Celtics: Brown picked up a T from ref Eric Lewis late in the first quarter. Sago gave one to Grant Williams in the third. … Opened a double-digit lead midway into the first and led 36-22 after one.

BENCH BOOST

With his team trailing by six and looking sluggish late in the third, Mazzulla brought in reserves Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet for their first playing time of the night. It seemed to spark the team and excited the crowd as the Celtics went on a 16-0 run to close the quarter, with Tatum scoring the last five points.

“Foul trouble and capitalizing on our depth,” Mazzulla said of the moves. “Credit to both Payton and Luke for what they do on a daily basis to stay ready. … I just felt they brought a different rhythm to the game, great energy and great execution on both ends.”

HIGH-OCTANE OFFENSES

The game featured two of the league’s highest scoring teams. Sacramento entered first with 120 points per game and Boston was just slightly behind, second at 119.7.

UP NEXT

Kings: Host the Phoenix Suns on Monday.

Celtics: Host the Washington Wizards on Sunday.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Tatum scores 30; Celtics pull away from Kings, 122-104