Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Jasper Bruce

Celtics belt Pacers with their third-highest NBA score

The Boston Celtics have racked up the third-highest score and equal third-biggest win in franchise history in a 155-104 demolition of the Indiana Pacers.

A 14-0 scoring run in the opening minutes set the Celtics (4-0) on their merry way in Thursday's home game (AEDT) and helped them to a 44-27 quarter-time lead.

The Pacers (2-2) never came within 14 points after the first change and spent the final 21 minutes of game-time behind by at least 30 points.

Jayson Tatum had 30 points and 12 rebounds despite being put on ice for the entire fourth quarter. Seven other Celtics reached double figures for points.

"We've got so many weapons," guard Derrick White said.

"You've got so much talent around you, it makes the game easy."

With a 51-point margin, the win was the Celtics' equal third-biggest since their formation in 1946, behind only 58-point and 53-point thrashings of Chicago and Sacramento in 2018 and 2022, respectively.

Only twice have the Celtics scored more points: They put 173 on the Minneapolis Lakers in a 34-point win in 1959, and beat the New York Knicks 157-128 in the 1990 playoffs.

Superstar centre Nikola Jokic had an off night as the Denver Nuggets suffered their first loss of their title defence against Minnesota.

The two-time NBA MVP (25 points, 10 rebounds) landed 11 of 23 attempts from the field and had only three assists in the 110-89 loss.

"A lot of guys put their body on him and try to make it as hard as possible for him," Nuggets coach Mike Malone said.

Anthony Edwards managed 24 points and Karl-Anthony Towns 21 for the Timberwolves in the sides' first meeting since the first round of the playoffs last spring.

The Nuggets never led at any point.

"I didn't think our approach was where it needed to be," Malone said.

"That team came out like they wanted to get some revenge."

The Houston Rockets' 128-119 defeat of Charlotte left the Memphis Grizzlies as the only side yet to taste victory this season.

Memphis lost to Utah 133-109 in their latest defeat, the biggest of five so far.

Klay Thompson hit a jump shot in the final second to clinch Golden State Warriors' 102-101 home defeat of intra-state rivals the Sacramento Kings.

Key man De'Aaron Fox watched on with an ankle sprain as the Kings took the lead through Domantas Sabonis with 16 seconds to play.

But that was before Thompson came up clutch.

Warriors superstar Steph Curry was relatively quiet with 21 points - down on the 41 he scored against the Kings last week and the 34 per game he averaged in their playoff series earlier this year.

Elsewhere, the New Orleans Pelicans pulled off the biggest comeback of the season so far to defeat Oklahoma City 110-106.

The Thunder led by as many as 22 points in the second quarter at home, before New Orleans surged, even without injured forward Brandon Ingram.

Zion Williamson had 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, but CJ McCollum led the side with 29 points and 11 boards.

Australian guard Josh Giddey (15 points, nine rebounds) scored 10 points in the first 6:20 of the game.

But he and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each missed attempts from long range in the final minute that could have restored OKC's lead.

Instead, the Thunder dropped to 3-2, with McCollum sealing the win with two free-throws in the final seconds.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.