Boston, MA — Jaylen Brown powered the Boston Celtics with 33 points and 13 rebounds, Payton Pritchard poured in 30 more, and the Celtics narrowly escaped with a 121–118 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
Derrick White put together an all-around performance with 22 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds, while Neemias Queta added 14 points and nine boards off the bench.
Boston, playing its first game since a 37-point rout of Memphis on Wednesday, appeared headed for another comfortable victory after building a 24-point lead in the third quarter. But the Clippers stormed back, pushing the Celtics to the brink before Boston secured its second straight win.
James Harden, fresh off a 41-point triple-double in a double-overtime victory at Dallas on Friday, nearly dragged Los Angeles all the way back. He erupted for 32 of his 37 points in the second half. Ivica Zubac supported the comeback effort with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
The Clippers also suffered a scare in the second quarter when forward Derrick Jones Jr. collided with a defender, fell awkwardly, and grabbed at his right knee before being helped to the locker room. He did not return.
Los Angeles closed the gap to 119–118 when Harden drilled a deep three with two seconds remaining. Pritchard was fouled immediately and hit both free throws to restore a three-point cushion.
Harden had one more chance at the horn — a clean look from beyond the arc — but his potential game-tying shot clanged off the rim.
After the Clippers trimmed Boston’s lead to five heading into the fourth quarter, Brown delivered a decisive surge. He scored 11 of Boston’s first 16 points in the final period, hitting a three, converting a three-point play, and knocking down multiple mid-range jumpers to steady the Celtics.
Earlier, Boston’s lead ballooned to 76–52 midway through the third thanks to back-to-back threes from Pritchard, who finished 8 for 13 from long distance.
Los Angeles responded with a 12–4 run, capped by Harden’s left-wing three with 2.4 seconds left in the quarter, cutting the deficit to 90–85 and setting up the tense finish.
Up Next:
Clippers: Visit Philadelphia on Monday for the third game of their seven-game road trip.
Celtics: Travel to Brooklyn on Tuesday.
