sport news NBA ROUND-UP: Boston goes nuclear on the Suns, while Kyrie Irving proves too ... trends now
The Boston Celtics utterly embarrassed the Phoenix Suns 125-98 on Wednesday night.
An expected showdown between two of the league´s top teams never materialized with the Celtics leading by 45 points at one juncture.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 25 points, Malcolm Brodgon added 16 off the bench for Boston.
The Celtics won for the eighth time in nine games, improving their NBA-best record to 21-5.
Meanwhile, the Suns - who came into the game with the best record in a crowded Western Conference race - lost for the third time in four games.
Jayson Tatum was in a league of his own as the Celtics thoroughly outclassed Phoenix 125-98
RAPTORS 126, LAKERS 113
Pascal Siakam (R) hugged fellow star Fred VanVleet (L) during the Lakers postgame interview
A short-handed Lakers team playing without LeBron James and Anthony Davis were no match for Pascal Siakam and his Toronto Raptors in Canada.
Siakam had 25 points and 10 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors routed Los Angeles 126-113.
James sat out because of a sore left ankle, one night after playing 36 minutes in a 116-102 loss at Cleveland.
Meanwhile, Davis missed after finishing up after one quarter Tuesday night because of an illness.
Guard Patrick Beverley (right knee) and forward Wenyen Gabriel (left shoulder) also were out for the Lakers, who came in having won six of eight.
Fred VanVleet scored 25 points and O.G. Anunoby had 23 as Toronto led from wire-to-wire, improving to 10-3 at home.
NETS 122, HORNETS 116
Kyrie Irving dropped 33 points - 12 in the fourth - while Kevin Durant had 29 in the Nets win
Kyrie Irving scored 33 points - 12 in the fourth - while Kevin Durant had 29 as the Brooklyn Nets outlasted the Charlotte Hornets 122-116 at the Barclays Center.
Seth Curry added 20 points on 8-for-11 shooting to help the Nets win for the fifth time in six games.
For the struggling Hornets, Terry Rozier scored 29 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 28 for Charlotte.
The defeat in New York means Charlotte have lost three straight, and seven of the last 10.
JAZZ 124, WARRIORS 123
Simone Fontechio was celebrated postgame after a last-second, game-winning dunk
Rookie Simone Fontecchio made a last-second, game-winning dunk just after Malik Beasley hit a 3-pointer as the Utah Jazz scored five points in the final 7.8 seconds to earn an improbable 124-123 victory.
Jordan Poole led all scorers with 36 points in a game in which both teams were missing key players.
The late rally began with the 3-pointer from Beasley with 7.8 seconds to go. Nickeil Alexander-Walker then gave the Jazz life with 4.3 seconds remaining by stealing the ball from Poole in a frantic moment.
The ball was advanced to Beasley, who connected with Fontecchio for the game-winning bucket with 1.4 seconds left.
KNICKS 113, HAWKS 89
New York continued its impressive form Wednesday after disposing of the Cavs on Sunday
New York rolled to a win over undermanned Atlanta behind Julius Randle, who posted a double-double and scored 19 points in the third quarter for the hosts.
Randle finished with 34 points, two shy of his season high, and pulled down a season-best 17 rebounds.
RJ Barrett added 15 points while Mitchell Robinson put up eight points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks.
Quentin Grimes contributed a season-high 23 points and shot 5-for-7 from 3-point range for the Knicks, who have won two straight.
MAGIC 116, CLIPPERS 111
Admiral Schofield was hyped up as the Orlando Magic won for the first time since November 18
Orlando snapped a long losing skid with a shock overtime defeat of the visiting Los Angeles Clippers.
Moritz Wagner
