Field Level Media
Feb 26, 2020
Jayson Tatum drained a career-high eight 3-pointers while scoring 36 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a 118-106 victory over the host Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.
Jaylen Brown added 24 points and seven rebounds as Boston won for the 13th time in the past 16 contests. Brad Wanamaker added 13 points, Gordon Hayward and Marcus Smart scored 12 points apiece, and Daniel Theis had 10 points and nine rebounds.
CJ McCollum recorded 28 points, 10 assists and three blocked shots, and Hassan Whiteside added 18 points and 19 rebounds for Portland, which lost for the fourth time in five games. Trevor Ariza contributed 17 points and eight rebounds while Carmelo Anthony tallied 14 points.
Both teams were without an All-Star point guard for the third straight game. Damian Lillard (groin) was sidelined for the Trail Blazers, and Kemba Walker (knee) sat out for the Celtics.
Boston shot 47.8 percent from the field, including 19 of 39 from 3-point range. Tatum shot 14 of 22, including 8 of 12 from long range. He scored 26 points in the second half.
The Trail Blazers hit 44.7 percent from the floor and were 13 of 31 from behind the arc.
McCollum has recorded 10 or more assists in all three games Lillard has sat out.
The Celtics held an eight-point halftime advantage and steadily built on it in the third quarter.
Tatum's 3-pointer made it 70-60 with 6:27 left in the stanza, and Brown's basket pushed the lead to 76-62 with 3:54 left.
Hayward's hoop increased the lead to 81-64 with 2:09 to play in the quarter, and Boston settled for an 85-70 edge entering the final period.
Tatum buried three 3-pointers in the first 3:32 of the fourth to increase the Celtics' lead to 98-79.
Portland responded with a 13-5 run to move within 11 before Smart knocked down a 3-pointer to give Boston a 106-92 lead with 4:33 left.
Tatum established his career high with his eighth 3-pointer to make it 111-94 with 2:58 remaining, effectively putting the game away.
Brown scored 15 points to help Boston to a 56-48 halftime lead. McCollum had 13 before the break for the Trail Blazers.
--Field Level Media