NBA Roundup: 46-Point First Quarter Sends Celtics Past Nets

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives the ball against Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Harris (12) in the first quarter at TD Garden in Boston on Feb. 1, 2023. David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports via Field Level Media

The Boston Celtics didn’t do much wrong in the opening quarter and breezed to a 139–96 home victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.

Boston was 18–for–29 from the field (62.1 percent) in the opening frame and led 46-16 after 12 minutes. It was the largest lead the Celtics have had after the first quarter in franchise history.

The Celtics made 8 of 11 3-pointers in the period—including their first seven attempts—and outrebounded Brooklyn 20–6. The 2018–19 Golden State Warriors hold the NBA record for most points in a first quarter (51).

Boston’s Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 31 points, and Jaylen Brown added 26 points. Kyrie Irving had 20 points, four rebounds and four assists for the Nets, who have lost their past 10 games against Boston (including the postseason).

76ers 105, Magic 94

Joel Embiid had 28 points and 11 rebounds, James Harden added 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds and host Philadelphia defeated Orlando.

Harden went 6 of 10 from 3-point range, while Tobias Harris scored 16 points for the Sixers, who avenged a 119–109 loss to the Magic two nights earlier.

Markelle Fultz led the Magic with 18 points, Paolo Banchero added 13 points and nine rebounds, and Franz Wagner finished with 13 points. Orlando lost for the third time in four games.

Trail Blazers 122, Grizzlies 112

Damian Lillard recorded 42 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds to lift visiting Portland to a victory over Memphis. The Trail Blazers outscored the Grizzlies 38–22 in the fourth quarter.

Portland’s Anfernee Simons scored 26 points and Jerami Grant added 18 before exiting in the third quarter due to concussion-like symptoms. Jusuf Nurkic departed early in the first quarter after aggravating a lingering calf issue.

Ja Morant collected 32 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds for the Grizzlies, who have lost six of their past seven games overall. They also saw their eight-game home winning streak come to a halt.

Timberwolves 119, Warriors 114 (OT)

Anthony Edwards saved four of his 27 points for the final 1:43 of overtime as Minnesota outlasted Golden State in Minneapolis.

After Taurean Prince gave Minnesota the lead with a 3-pointer with 2:58 left in overtime, Edwards scored on a drive and a jumper on Minnesota’s next two possessions to help the Timberwolves win for the fourth time in their past five games.

Seeking a fourth straight win, the Warriors led by as many as 14 early in the fourth quarter before needing a Stephen Curry layup with 1:39 to go just to pull into a 110–110 tie. Curry led Golden State with 29 points, and he also grabbed 10 rebounds.

Jazz 131, Raptors 128

Lauri Markkanen scored 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and rookie Walker Kessler had a big game on both ends of the floor as the Utah beat Toronto in Salt Lake City.

Kessler finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocked shots. Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points and Mike Conley contributed 19 points and eight assists as the Jazz earned a second straight win.

Fred VanVleet led all scorers and notched a triple-double with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Pascal Siakam totaled 21 points, 10 boards and five assists as the Raptors fell to 2–3 on their seven-game road trip.

Rockets 112, Thunder 106

Eric Gordon scored a season-high 25 points, rookie Tari Eason recorded his third consecutive double-double and Houston topped visiting Oklahoma City.

Houston’s Kenyon Martin Jr. had 18 points and seven rebounds while Eason paired a career-high 20 points with 13 rebounds, including 12 offensive boards, off the bench. The Rockets recorded consecutive wins for the first time since mid-December.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 24 points and eight rebounds, while Josh Giddey added 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Thunder, who took their third loss in four games.

Kings 119, Spurs 109

Domantas Sabonis racked up a season-high 34 points and added 11 rebounds and De'Aaron Fox amassed 31 points and 10 assists as visiting Sacramento defeated struggling San Antonio.

Sabonis logged his league-leading 39th double-double of the season. Malik Monk had 22 points for the Kings, who won their second game in a row.

Malaki Branham scored 22 points for San Antonio, the best total of his rookie season. Josh Richardson had 19 points, Jakob Poeltl added 18 points and 12 rebounds and Keldon Johnson also had 18 points for the Spurs, who lost their seventh consecutive game.

Hawks 132, Suns 100

Dejounte Murray recorded 21 points, eight assists and six rebounds and Atlanta never trailed while drubbing host Phoenix.

Trae Young added 20 points and 12 assists in his return from a one-game absence caused by an ankle injury. Bogdan Bogdanovic had 18 points and Onyeka Okongwu added 17 for Atlanta. The Hawks led by as many as 43 while winning for just the second time in the past six games.

Mikal Bridges had 23 points and seven assists for the Suns, topping 20 points for the ninth time in the past 12 games.