Pritchard scores career-high 43 to lead Celtics over Blazers

By Canadian Press on March 5, 2025.

BOSTON (AP) — Payton Pritchard scored a career-high 43 points and knocked down a career-best 10 3-pointers to lead the short-handed Boston Celtics past the Portland Trail Blazers 128-118 on Wednesday night.

Derrick White added career highs with 41 points and nine 3s to lead Boston to its eighth victory in 10 games, making Pritchard and White the first Celtic duo to score 40 or more points in the same game and the first duo in NBA history with nine or more 3-pointers each in a game.

With starters Jayson Tatum (shoulder), Jrue Holiday (finger) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) all sitting out, Pritchard picked up the scoring load for a Celtics team that made 23 3-pointers.

The game remained tight throughout the first half, featuring five ties and 15 lead changes. But Boston outscored the Blazers 36-27 in the third quarter.

Anfernee Simons led Portland with 30 points and Shaedon Sharpe added 25.

TIMBERWOLVES 125, HORNETS 110

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels scored 29 points apiece and Minnesota beat Charlotte.

Julius Randle finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Timberwolves, who won their third straight. McDaniels grabbed 10 rebounds.

LaMelo Ball had 28 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Charlotte, which has lost eight straight. Miles Bridges added 23 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

The Timberwolves took the lead with 5:40 remaining in the first quarter and did not give it up. The score was 65-58 by halftime, with Edwards racking up 16 points in the half.

CAVALIERS 112, HEAT 107

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points, Darius Garland had 10 assists and Cleveland survived some sloppiness in the final two minutes to win their 12th straight game, over banged-up Miami.

With the win, the Cavs became the first team to clinch a playoff berth.

It wasn’t easy as the Heat, who were missing several rotational players, led 107-106 with 2:55 left. But Miami didn’t score again and Duncan Robinson’s apparent tying 3-pointer with 17.4 seconds left was waved off because he stepped out of bounds.

Bam Adebayo scored a season-high 34 points for Miami, which was without leading scorer Tyler Herro.

Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter added 16 points apiece for Cleveland.

WIZARDS 125, JAZZ 122

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kyshawn George scored 23 points, Alex Sarr added 21 and Washington edged Utah.

Seven of the nine players used by Washington were in double figures, with Justin Champagnie coming off the bench for 17 points.

Johnny Juzang scored 27 points and Kyle Filipowski had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Jazz, who have lost 10 straight road games.

Isaiah Collier finished with 19 points, six rebounds and six assists. Brice Sensabaugh scored 15 points but missed a 3-pointer to tie with a second to play.

BUCKS 137, MAVERICKS 107

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points to bring his career total over 20,000, Damian Lillard added 34 points and Kevin Porter Jr. had a triple-double as surging Milwaukee trounced short-handed Dallas.

The 30-year-old Antetokounmpo has scored 20,010 career points, becoming the 52nd player to reach 20,000. The only players to get to the 20,000-point mark at a younger age were LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan.

Antetokounmpo, who played less than 25 minutes, also had 15 rebounds as the Bucks won for the eighth time in their last nine games.

Porter had 10 points and 11 rebounds while playing 26 minutes off the bench, and he matched a career high with 14 assists. His previous triple-doubles came in March 2022 and March 2023 with the Houston Rockets.

Klay Thompson scored 28 for the Mavericks, who had only eight available players in their first game since Kyrie Irving tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Monday.

The Associated Press