Minus Kyrie, Celtics extend winning streak to 12
Pistons suppress Heat for 5th straight victory • Birthday boy Westbrook lifts Thunder over Mavericks
The great unknown after Gordon Hayward suffered a season-ending injury on opening night was how the Boston Celtics would respond to such a loss.
There were many theories floating around, but it’s safe to say no one was talking about what has unfolded over the past 24 days.
A 12-game winning streak after an 0-2 start following the gruesome injury Hayward sustained?
Now there’s a long shot, pure fantasy, especially with Al Horford and Kyrie Irving getting hurt along the way.
Yet here are the Celtics, four weeks into the season, sitting atop the NBA with a 12-2 record and only their fourth 12-game winning streak in three decades.
It has been a truly remarkable run with another chapter being added Sunday afternoon without Irving (fractured bone under his right eye).
This time, the Celtics held off the Toronto Raptors 95-94 when DeMar DeRozan missed a shot in the closing seconds.
“It’s unbelievable. It really is,” said Terry Rozier, who had 16 points and six rebounds off the bench. “We try not to think about it, but it’s still crazy.
“We’re playing against some good teams, too. We’re battling every night and we’re doing it without good players. We’re just trying to keep it up.”
Next on the agenda is a trip to Brooklyn to face the Nets Tuesday night – and then the Golden State Warriors visit on Thursday night in what should be a wild time.
Without Irving, who is being fitted for a mask after getting hurt early in Friday’s win, the Celtics got contributions from everyone, including Al Horford (back after being out two games with a concussion).
They continued to play solid defense, got timely baskets and kept the good times rolling.
“One person isn’t replacing Kyrie,” said Marcus Smart, who had 14 points, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals. “It took the whole team. That just shows what type of our team we are.”
Horford led the way with 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting, Jaylen Brown added 18 points and defended DeRozan on the final play and Jayson Tatum was clutch again, finishing with 13 points and seven rebounds.
“They all believe in themselves and rightfully so,” said coach Brad Stevens. “The key is to just do what you do best.
“We’re not going to make up for Kyrie Irving by somebody trying to be Kyrie Irving. We just have to all chip in and account for him as a team.”
That’s what the Celtics did, getting lifts off the bench from Rozie, Marcus Morris and Daniel Theis (eight rebounds, two blocks in 18 minutes).
The Celtics trailed by only one point in the fourth quarter, but it looked like the streak was in danger when Tatum was called for an offensive foul after getting a rebound in the final seconds.
The Raptors had a chance to win, but DeRozan, after pump faking Brown, missed his shot before time expired.
“That’s a shot DeMar DeRozan hits nine times out of 10 and I got in his face a late contest and he missed this one,” said Brown.
The miss enabled the Celtics to keep the unlikely streak going, making it the first time they have won 12 in a row since early in the 2010-11 season.
“When you win some games, I do think it builds a desire to be even more focused just because you see some positive results out of that,” said Stevens. “But I haven’t heard any of our guys talk about the streak.”
There is plenty to talk about since what the Celtics are doing is remarkable, given the injury situation.
“It’s great,” said Horford. “I think we have a group that’s really trying to take it game by game and enjoy this journey that we’ve started on.
“I know it’s early, but it’s as good as I’ve seen as far as just staying in the moment and respecting each opponent.”
(The Enterprise/TNS)
Pistons 112, Heat 103
Tobias Harris led five players in double figures with 25 points to help Detroit beat Miami and finish unbeaten on the fivegame home-stand.
Avery Bradley scored 24 points, Reggie Jackson had 17 points, rookie Luke Kennard scored a career-high 14 points, backup point guard Ish Smith scored 11 points and Andre Drummond added 17 rebounds for the Pistons.
Hassan Whiteside had 20 points and 12 rebounds, Goran Dragic scored 18 points, Dion Waiters had 16 points and Josh Richardson added 15 points to lead the Heat, who went 13-of-37 (35%) from three-point range.
Thunder 112, Mavericks 99
Even without two starters, Oklahoma City made quick work of Dallas.
Russell Westbrook – on his 29th birthday – had 27 points, six rebounds and five assists, and forward Paul George followed his best scoring performance of the season with 37 points in the absence of center Steven Adams and forward Carmelo Anthony.
Harrison Barnes led the Mavericks with 22 points, Yogi Ferrell added 18, and Dennis Smith Jr. scored 15 points.
Rockets 118, Pacers 95
James Harden, averaging 37.8 points in the previous five games, scored 26 points and had a season-high 15 assists in Houston’s romp over Indiana.
Harden hit 9-of-21 shots from the field and all five free throws.
Eric Gordon chipped in with 21 points, and center Clint Capela contributed 20 points and a team-high 17 rebounds.
Guard Victor Oladipo led the Pacers with 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field in a losing cause. (Reuters)