BOSTON (AP) — Payton Pritchard had 21 points, including five 3-pointers, and the Boston Celtics held off a late charge to beat the Sacramento Kings 101-100 on Friday night.
Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points and 11 rebounds — his second straight double-double — to help the NBA’s top team earn its 12th straight one-game home victory after clinching home-court advantage throughout the playoffs . They have won 13 of their last 15 games.
De’Aaron Fox had 40 points for the Kings and scored a go-ahead 26-footer with 27 seconds left. But after Celtics reserve Xavier Tillman put Boston back in front, Fox missed a jumper — one of three potential game-winning shots for the Kings in the final 7 seconds as the Celtics survived.
Boston coach Joe Mazzulla rested his starters throughout the fourth quarter and left his reserves on the field late.
“It’s good for our team chemistry — those kinds of moments,” Porzingis said. “And seeing Joe all excited on the sidelines. It was pretty cool. A good victory for us.
Domantas Sabonis added 16 points and 16 rebounds for the Kings, who have lost four of their last six games as they try to avoid a spot in the play-in tournament.
“Fox was phenomenal, especially in the stretch where he was 40. … He stepped up like he should have. It gave us a chance to win,” Kings coach Mike Brown said. “We just didn’t shoot the ball well.”
For the game, Sacramento shot just 38% (38 for 99) and was 17 for 51 (33%) from the 3-point line.
Sabonis said they missed a great opportunity to advance in the tight Western Conference race.
“We let one go,” Sabonis said. “We had an opportunity to come back and steal a game from them and we couldn’t. … We have five games left and the next one will be Brooklyn. We have to take care of business.
The Kings cut a 19-point fourth deficit to 99-97 on a Fox layup.
Colby Jones blocked Pritchard’s jumper on Boston’s next possession, followed by Fox’s 3-pointer that gave Sacramento its first lead since the first quarter.
Sam Hauser saw his short jumper blocked by Keegan Murray on the Celtics’ subsequent possession. But Tillman was able to put it together and score to put Boston back in front for good.
The Kings cut their 16-point first-half deficit to 54-50 at halftime, but the Celtics outscored them 30-22 in the third quarter to take a 12-point lead into the fourth.
Both teams struggled to score in the first five minutes of the game. Boston started just 1 of 10 from the field and Sacramento went 1 of 8.
The Celtics found their touch, finishing the first quarter connecting on 9 of their final 10 shots. The Kings finished 5 of 21.
Boston’s lead reached double digits in the second quarter, but it took every play of the basket to get there at times. On one possession, Payton Pritchard fired a deep ball 28 feet past the top of the key. THE the ball bounced high off the back of the rim, cut the front lip then rolled glass before falling into it.
Boston was without starters Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.
Brown is dealing with a sprained left hand that also kept him out of Monday’s win over Charlotte. Brown called it a ligament-related issue and admitted it bothered him during Wednesday’s win over Oklahoma City. Coach Joe Mazzulla said Friday’s absence was related to handling the issue and that he did not expect Brown to be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season.
White, who started 70 of Boston’s 77 games this season, was out with a lower back contusion.
FOLLOWING
Kings: At the Nets on Sunday.
Celtics: Host the Trail Blazers on Sunday.
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