Celtics fall to Portland, 129-119

One game after their improbable comeback win over San Antonio and Jayson Tatum’s record-tying 60-point performance, the Celtics found themselves running for their lives.

But in a shootout against one of the hottest teams in the NBA, the Celtics simply couldn’t keep pace in a 129-119 loss to Portland that dropped them a game behind Miami, and in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

Marcus Smart, who was suspended earlier this week for threatening game officials, was ejected with 1:56 left Sunday night, and the Blazers leading by three points. And if Smart’s foibles weren’t enough, Jaylen Brown, who decided at the last minute to play despite having trouble with his right ankle, limped to the locker room in the last minute while shouting an expletive in the player tunnel.

The Celtics thus wasted a 33-point performance by Tatum. The Blazers, who have now won four straight, were led by C.J. McCollum’s 33-point performance.

The Celtics had a shot late. Evan Fournier’s fifth 3-pointer of the night with 2:27 left cut the Portland lead to 120-117, and Jusuf Nurkic was whistled for an illegal pick that momentarily left both he and Smart on the floor.

Nurkic was called for an offensive foul, but Smart received a technical foul and was ejected. Lillard hit the free throw with 1:56 left for a four-point Portland lead.

Jaylen Brown rimmed out a 3-point attempt, and Payton Pritchard, sent in for Smart, drew a charge on Lillard.

Tatum was fouled with 1:21 left and cut the margin back to three points. But Carmelo Anthony drained a 3-pointer, and Norman Powell scored off a Romeo Langford turnover.

Three Blazers had already reached the low 20s by the start of the fourth, with Portland holding the Celtics at bay with a 103-98 lead.

Tatum attacked on the first Celtics possession for a three-point play, and with Rob Williams doing the dirty work off a Tatum miss, Aaron Nesmith buried his fourth straight three of the night, cutting the Blazers edge to 105-104.

Nesmith continued to scramble, scoring off a baby hook and playing a key role in forcing a Blazers shot clock violation.

Thompson’s apparent tip-in of a Tatum miss was whistled off as offensive interference — Brad Stevens was unable to call for a video review on time — and the Blazers made the Celtics pay with back-to-back threes from C.J.McCollum and Carmelo Anthony.

Smart came out of a timeout with a 3-pointer, Nurkic answered in the lane, and Smart scored again out of a post-up.

But McCollum sandwiched five points around a Tatum drive, including a 3-pointer with 3:51 left for a 120-113 lead.

The first half pace was so pure it ended in a 71-71 tie, with the two sides shooting a combined 22-for-27, or 59 percent, from three.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3xHeMkl