Recap: Walker Shines Again as Celtics Top Clippers, 117-112
Brian Babineau | NBAE via Getty Images
In the words of Randy Quaid in “Independence Day”:
“HELLO BOYS-KEMBA’S BACK!”
Kemba Walker hit big shot after big shot to score 25 points and lead six players in double figures. The Boston Celtics won their third straight game with a 117-112 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Jaylen Brown returned to the lineup to score 18 points, while Tristan Thompson had 13 points and 9 rebounds. Jayson Tatum and rookie Payton Pritchard scored 14 points each, and Robert Williams III added 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks as he continued his solid play as of late.
Los Angeles, who have now lost two straight, were led by Paul George with 32 points. Reggie Jackson got the start as Kawhi Leonard was a late scratch with back spasms. He ended up scoring 25 points. The Clippers also lost forward Marcus Morris (10 points) to a concussion late in the second quarter.
Boston jumped to a 16-9 lead early in the first as Brown (7) and Thompson (5) combined to score 12 points. The Celtics had a 16-4 run to close the quarter with a 35-32 advantage. George had 12 in the period and Nick Batum added 7 points. Both teams continued torching the nets in the second as Pritchard and Williams each scored 6 points in the quarter but the Celtics trailed 63-62 at the half. The game had 7 lead changes and 8 ties in the first 24 minutes alone. The Clippers were 7-13 from three-point range and the Celtics shot 8-15 from behind the arc.
George and Jackson hit consecutive three-pointers in a 7-0 run to give the Clippers a 70-67 with 7:16 left in the quarter. Jayson Tatum continued to struggle with his shooting but the Celtics got contributions from Jeff Teague (5 points), Semi Ojeleye (6 points), and Daniel Theis (9 points)to keep them close. They ended the third quarter trailing by one, 89-88.
The Celtics and the Clippers began the fourth period by trading three-pointers. Pritchard hit one, followed by the Clippers’ Lou Williams (12 points), followed by Semi Ojeleye’s three to give the Celtics a 94-92. A lead that they would not lose the rest of the way. Robert Williams scored 8 of his points in the quarter while Jayson Tatum had 5 points. Daniel Theis hit 2 free throws with 10.2 seconds left and Walker hit 1 of 2 with 4.1 seconds left to close out the game.
The C’s made it three in a row with this win, finally getting back up above .500. Their next game, and the last one before the All-Star break, will be on Thursday against the Raptors at 7:00 PM EST.
