TORONTO, Jan. 22 (BNA): Grant Williams scored a career-high 25 points, Jaylen Brown scored 27, and the Boston Celtics overcame the absence of leading scorer Jason Tatum to extend their winning streak to nine games by defeating the Toronto Raptors 106-104 on Saturday.
Boston’s injury was compounded when guard Marcus Smart sprained his right ankle in the last minute of the first half and had to be helped into the locker room. He has not returned, according to the Associated Press.
Center Robert Williams remained in the game after Brown hit him with a left knee in the first quarter. In the first half, Williams was ruled out in the second half due to an overextended knee.
Malcolm Brogdon scored 23 points and Payton Pritchard scored all 12 of his points in the fourth quarter. The Celtics have not lost since losing on January 3 in Oklahoma City.
Pascal Siakam had 29 points and 10 assists, Gary Trent Jr. had 22 points, and Precious Achiwa had 17 points and 11 rebounds in his first start of the season, but Toronto lost their third in a row.
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Cleveland: Evan Mobley scored a career-high 38 points, Darius Garland added 21, and Cleveland recovered from an embarrassing loss with a win over Milwaukee, which was once again without injured superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Mobley made sure Cleveland shook off a 120-114 loss the night before against the Golden State Warriors, who beat Cleveland despite the relief of Stephen Curry and three other players.
The 21-year-old Mobley finished 19 of 27 from the field and hit his best performance as a pro without throwing a 3-pointer or 3-pointer. He added nine rebounds.
Mobley scored 12 of Cleveland’s first 15 points in the fourth set, while the Cleveland team, who was without superstar Donovan Mitchell with a groin strain for the third straight game, scored 12-2 to break away from the Bucks.
Johnny Holiday scored 28 goals and Bobby Portis Jr. added 23 goals for Milwaukee, who played their fifth straight game without Antitokonmo. MVP twice nursing the left knee.
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ATLANTA: Terry Rozier hit three-pointers with 1.1 seconds left and the undermanned Charlotte hit 19 third-quarter points to end Atlanta’s five-game winning streak.
Clint Capela fumbled a missed Trae Young runner with 5.4 seconds left for Atlanta, but Rozier, who scored 16 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter, was fumbled by Jalen Johnson and buried the ensuing free throws to win.
The Hornets, who are without injured leading scorer LaMelo Ball, have won two in a row after losing eight of nine. They entered the game 12-34, penultimate in the Eastern Conference. This was the first consecutive victory since the end of November.
Mason Plumlee finished with a season-high 25 points and P.J. Washington scored 12 of 23 in the fourth.
Trae Young made one of his last 12 shots and had 25 points. DeJonte Murray scored 26 points, while DeAndre Hunter scored a season-high 26 points for Atlanta.
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Washington: Rui Hachimura returned to a career-high 30 points and Kyle Kuzma added 25 points to win Washington over Orlando.
Bradley Bell scored 17 points in his second game after injuring his hamstring, although Kristaps Porzingis left the game in the third quarter with a left ankle injury.
Porzingis scored 17 points.
The Wizards won their second straight game with Beal back and he had eight assists on the night but now they have another injury to deal with. Porcingis limped into the tunnel after injuring his ankle and did not return.
Markel Fultz led the Magic with 23 points. Franz Wagner contributed 20 goals and Paolo Panchero scored 15.
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Minneapolis: Anthony Edwards scored a season-high 44 points, D’Angelo Russell added 23, and Minnesota handed Houston its 13th consecutive defeat.
Edwards topped 40 points for the first time this season on 17 of 29 shots from the field, including seven 3-pointers. Nathan Knight provided a spark off the bench, scoring a season-high 19 points.
Houston’s Alperin Sengun scored 19 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, taking advantage of a Timberwolves team that was without Rudy Gobert (right groin soreness) for the third straight game. Sengun hit his first seven goals on the field and was the catalyst for Houston who edged Minnesota 56-30.