NBA roundup: Celtics pound Warriors for 11th straight win
March 4 – A dominant first half allowed the Boston Celtics to extend their winning streak to 11 games by beating the visiting Golden State Warriors 140-88 on Sunday.
Boston made 15 of 24 3-point attempts in the first two quarters and led 82-38 at halftime. Boston’s 44-point halftime lead was the largest in the franchise’s history.
The Celtics shot 60 percent from the field in the first half (30 of 50), when they committed one turnover. The Warriors trailed by as many as 45 points in the second quarter. Each team rested its starters for all or most of the second half.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 29 points, and Jayson Tatum added 27 on his 26th birthday. Boston made 25 of 49 3-pointers (51 percent) in the win.
Lester Quinones tossed in a team-high 17 points for the Warriors, who trailed 115-62 after three quarters. Boston led by as many as 56 points in the fourth. Stephen Curry went 2-for-13 from the field (0-for-9 from 3-point territory) in the first half and finished the game with four points. He did not play in the second half.
Knicks 107, Cavaliers 98
Josh Hart posted his third triple-double of the season for visiting New York, which lost Jalen Brunson in the opening minute before outlasting Cleveland in a battle of undermanned Eastern Conference contenders.
Brunson didn’t return after suffering a left knee injury while hoisting his only shot barely 30 seconds after the opening tip. Following the game, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said Brunson has a knee contusion. X-rays came back negative.
Hart finished with 13 points and 10 assists while tying a career high with 19 rebounds. Donte DiVincenzo had 28 points, including the tiebreaking layup that gave the Knicks the lead for good with 5:39 left in the third. Evan Mobley (13 points, 13 rebounds) had a double-double for the Cavaliers, who also got a team-high 21 points from Sam Merrill.
Spurs 117, Pacers 105
Victor Wembanyama strutted his stuff while amassing 31 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, six blocked shots and a steal to help San Antonio to a rousing win over visiting Indiana.