Hawks, Celtics triumph; injured Mavs rout Lakers
SALT LAKE CITY—After imposing his will on offense for four quarters, Atlanta’s Trae Young still had one play left in him with the final seconds ticking off the clock.
Young heaved a buzzer-beating 49-foot three-pointer from just behind the half-court line to give the Hawks a 124-121 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night. The dramatic shot capped a game in which Young had 24 points and 20 assists while committing only two turnovers.
His game-winner followed of a tying triple by Utah’s Collin Sexton with four seconds left.
“When there’s time left, I always feel like we can score,” Young said.
Young, the Hawks’ franchise leader in assists and made three-pointers, put on a clinic on how to control a game. He dished out seven assists before scoring his first basket in the second quarter. “This is part of what I do,” Young said. “I always get guys involved, always been able to find people. I feel like I’m the kind of guy who can pass you open. You don’t just have to be open for me to get you the ball. I can see things and get you into a good spot.”
In Denver, Jayson Tatum scored 29 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 25 as the reigning champion Boston Celtics triumphed, 118-106, over the 2023 title holders Denver, who were without three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic because of illness.
Porzingis scored 15 points in the first quarter to key Boston’s hot start, but their 37-25 lead evaporated in the second quarter and it was tied 57-57 at halftime.
The Celtics used a 15-0 scoring run in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
In New Orleans, Anthony Edwards scored 32 points with nine rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 104-97 victory over the Pelicans, spoiling Pels star Zion Williamson’s return from a two-month injury absence.
Unlikely hero
Williamson scored 22 points with six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Dejounte Murray led New Orleans with 29 points, but CJ McCollum had a rough night—scoring just five points on one-for-14 shooting.
Quentin Grimes was the unlikely hero for Dallas as the injury-hit Mavericks outclassed LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, 118-97, to snap a five-game losing streak.
Grimes came off the bench to score 23 points and grab nine rebounds, drilling six of the Mavericks’ 18 three-pointers.
Dallas, last season’s Western Conference champions, had gone 1-5 since losing Luka Doncic to a calf strain on Christmas Day. Still without the Slovenian star, they announced on Monday that Kyrie “We knew we had to get back on track,” Grimes told broadcaster TNT. “Came out with the right mindset after dropping five in a row, so good to get back on track.”
