UNDATED (AP) — The Boston Celtics are within 3 1/2 games of first place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference following their most lopsided win ever against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jaylen Brown scored 26 of his 29 points by halftime of the Celtics’ season-high ninth straight win, a 135-87 blowout over the 76ers.
Jayson Tatum added 28 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in Boston’s largest margin of victory in its 457 meetings with the Sixers. The 48-point difference topped the 37-point rout of the 76ers in December 1987.
The Celtics did little wrong to start, making 22 of 39 first-half shots to carry a 27-point lead into the locker room.
Joel Embiid’s string of 25-point performances has ended at 31 games. The Sixers center finished with 19 points and nine rebounds.
Checking out Tuesday’s other NBA action:
— Devin Booker provided 26 points and Chris Paul added 17 with 14 assists as the Suns won for the 17th time in their last 18 games, 103-96 against the Clippers. Mikal Bridges added 19 points and nine rebounds for Phoenix, which leads the league at 47-10. Marcus Morris Sr. led the Clippers with 23 points while Nicolas Batum had 18.
— Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in a season-high 50 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to lead the Bucks past the skidding Pacers, 128-119. Antetokounmpo was two points shy of his career high after sitting out Monday’s game due to a sore ankle. The Bucks swept the four-game season series from the Pacers and have won eight straight against their Central Division foe.
— The Grizzlies were 121-109 winners over the Pelicans as Tyus Jones scored a career-high 27 points to go with eight assists while filling in for All-Star Ja Morant. Jaren Jackson added 23 points and ex-Pelican Steven Adams had 14 points and 13 rebounds for Memphis, which led for nearly the entire game and by double digits for more than half of it. The Grizzlies have won six straight and nine of 10.
— Luka Doncic scored 21 points and the Mavericks improved to 17-6 since January 1 by topping the Heat, 107-99. Jalen Brunson and Maxi Kleber each finished with 19 points and Dorian Finney Smith had 14 points for Dallas. Jimmy Butler scored a game-high 29 points for Miami, which fell into a first-place tie with Chicago in the Eastern Conference.
— The Cavaliers have their first losing streak since Dec. 31 after Trae Young scored 41 points and Danilo Gallinari added 25 in the Hawks’ 124-116 downing of Cleveland. In a matchup of All-Star guards, Young had 23 points and six assists in the first half while Darius Garland had 18 points with three assists. Garland finished with 30 points and Evan Mobley added 21 for the Cavs.
— Karl-Anthony Towns had 39 points and 15 rebounds while D’Angelo Russell chipped in 18 points and 11 assists as the Timberwolves rallied past the slumping Hornets, 126-120 in overtime. Minnesota came back from a 13-point deficit in the fourth, but Miles Bridges tied the game for Charlotte with a 3-pointer and free throw in the final minute. Bridges had 28 points and 13 rebounds for the Hornets, who have lost eight of nine.
