By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
In a familiar setting at the Kaseya Center, the Boston Celtics claimed another triumph over Eastern Conference rivals, the Miami Heat, notching a 106-110 victory. This marked the Celtics‘ eighth road win against Miami in their last 10 visits.
Kristaps Porzingis showcased his impressive skills for the winning side, scoring 25 points and narrowly missing a double-double with a strong performance on both ends of the court. The Latvian center shot 8-14 from the field, standing as the second-highest scorer for the Celtics, just behind Jayson Tatum, who recorded 26 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists.
Porzingis has been in exceptional form, averaging 29 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks with an efficient shooting percentage of 59/47/88% over the last four matches.
Jaylen Brown contributed with 20 points and nine boards, while Jrue Holiday showcased his sharpshooting skills, scoring all 15 points behind the three-point line, hitting five out of six attempts. Interestingly, when Jrue scores three or more triples, Boston boasts an impressive 17-1 record.
On the losing side, Nikola Jovic did not play, and Tyler Herro led Miami with 24 points. Bam Adebayo secured a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Caleb Martin and Duncan Robinson added 15 points each. Terry Rozier contributed 13 points along with six assists.
With this victory, Boston continues to lead the league and the Eastern Conference with a remarkable 41-12 record, while Miami holds the eighth position in the Eastern standings with a record of 28-25.
On the second game of the night, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 38 points, Jalen Williams scored 32 and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Sacramento Kings 127-113. OKC is now third in the West with a 36-17 record, while the Kings dropped to 30-22 and the 7th spot.
Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis had 21 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds for the Kings, his second consecutive triple-double and his fourth in six games this month. It was his 17th triple-double of the season and 49th of his career. Ukrainian big man Alexander Len added one rebound, one assist and one steal.
The Kings not only lost the game but also Bulgarian forward Sasha Vezenkov with an ankle injury for the next three weeks.