Celtics pulls away from Memphis, 102-93

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MEMPHIS – Boston saw a lead that once reached 21 points, slip away in the third quarter, but the Celtics made sure they didn’t trail for long.

On the short end of a 73-71 score after three, Boston opened the final frame with 16 straight points to pull away from the Memphis Grizzlies for a 102-93 victory on Saturday night.

“We just stayed composed and went out and executed,” said Celtics forward Al Horford, who scored 15 points. “We got some stops on defense. On the offensive end, we moved the ball pretty well. I think that was the difference. We opened up the game after that.”

Kyrie Irving scored 20 points, Jayson Tatum had 19 points and nine rebounds, part of six Celtics reaching double figures. The Celtics shot 49 percent, including 14 of 30 (46.7 percent) from outside the arc.

Marc Gasol led Memphis with 30 points and 10 rebounds. Tyreke Evans added 25 points, and Dillon Brooks had 14 points, hitting a season-best four 3-pointers.

Boston led by 21 in the first half, but Memphis used a 21-point third quarter by Gasol to take a 73-71 lead after three.

And the Memphis crowd, which has suffered through the team losing 17 of its last 19, rose in enthusiasm with the comeback.

The excitement was short-lived as Boston went on its rally to open the fourth.

“Obviously, Gasol got it going. You’re going to take a team’s shot like that, but you have to weather that storm and stay the course,” Boston coach Brad Stevens said.

There was little doubt about the way the game turned in the early minutes of the fourth, and Memphis expended a lot of energy getting back even with the Celtics before that point.

“When you play a team like this with guys that can shoot and create the way that they can, they make you pay for mistakes,” Memphis interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.

“And you’ve got to give them credit, they created a lot of those mistakes,” he said. (AP)

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