BOSTON (AP) - Jayson Tatum scored 35 points and sparked a third-quarter rally to help the NBA-leading Boston Celtics get their 40th win of the season, 133-129 over the Washington Wizards on Friday night.
Kristaps Porzingis added 34 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics (40-12), who reached 40 victories the fastest in a season since the 2008-09 squad did it in 49 games. It was Tatum's 20th game this season in which he scored 30 or more points.
Deni Avdija had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Corey Kispert also scored 24 for the Wizards, who have lost five straight. Bilal Coulibaly finished with 21 points.
The Wizards led by as many as eight in the third quarter and closed within 131-127 in the final minute. But Boston was able to close it out at the foul line.
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Immanuel Quickley scores 25 as Raptors beat Rockets 107-104 for 2nd straight victoryTatum scores 35 points and Celtics ride 3rd-quarter rally to beat Wizards 133-129 for 40th winTrae Young scores 37 as Hawks end 2-game skid with 127-121 win over short-handed 76ers
HAWKS 127, 76ERS 121
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Trae Young scored 37 points and hit several key shots in the fourth quarter as Atlanta Hawks held on to beat short-handed Philadelphia.
Onyeke Okongwu added 21 points and Saddiq Bey had 16 points and 11 rebounds as Atlanta snapped a two-game skid.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 points and Tobias Harris had 21 for Philadelphia, which has lost eight of its last nine in a stretch during which the 76ers lost reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid to a meniscus tear. Buddy Hield and Cam Payne, acquired before the trade deadline on Thursday, each scored 20 points in their Philadelphia debut.
RAPTORS 107, ROCKETS 104
TORONTO (AP) - Immanuel Quickley scored 25 points, RJ Barrett had 21 and Toronto held on to beat Houston for its fourth straight home win over the Rockets.
Jakob Poeltl had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Scottie Barnes added 13 points and 10 rebounds as the Raptors won their second straight after losing eight of nine. Toronto, coming off a victory over Charlotte on Wednesday, hadn't won consecutive games since beating Cleveland on Jan. 1 and Memphis on Jan. 3.
Barnes shot 4 for 16 and narrowly missed a triple-double, finishing with eight of Toronto's 24 assists.
Dillon Brooks scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth, and Jabari Smith Jr. had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Rockets. Cam Whitmore scored 17 points before leaving because of a sprained right ankle as Houston lost its fourth straight on the road. Houston is 5-19 away from home.
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