NBA: Celtics earn controversial OT win over Lakers
Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at TD Garden on January 28, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Lakers 125-121. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images/AFP
Jaylen Brown scored 37 points and pulled down nine rebounds to help the Boston Celtics avoid a season-worst, four-game losing streak by beating the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 125-121 in overtime on Saturday.
The Lakers led 105-102 late in the fourth quarter, but Brown scored inside and was fouled with 4.1 seconds to play. Brown made the free throw to tie the score at 105-105, and the game went to overtime after LeBron James missed a layup just before the buzzer, although replays showed that James was fouled by Jayson Tatum on the play.
“The best player on Earth can’t get a call — it’s amazing,” said Lakers coach Darvin Ham, who spoke of the “agony” of losing such a huge game.
“I don’t understand it,” LeBron said, adding that he didn’t think it was the first time a non-call proved costly to the Lakers this season.
Brown preferred to focus not on officiating or the rivalry but on Boston’s quest to remain the dominant team in the East.
“It was a much-needed win,” he said. “We lost the last three, so we wanted to come out and get a win today.”
Ham noted that any game between the Celtics and Lakers — who have faced each other a record 12 times in the NBA Finals — is “always hotly contested.”
☘️ 37 PTS
☘️ 9 REB
☘️ 3 ASTJaylen Brown showed out in the Celtics W. pic.twitter.com/XA8U7W8Rkd
— NBA (@NBA) January 29, 2023
Brown scored 11 points in overtime, including a jump shot that gave the Celtics a 119-114 lead with 50.8 seconds remaining. He also made two free throws that put the Celtics in front 121-116 with 33.1 seconds left.
Anthony Davis made a 3-pointer that sliced Boston’s lead to 123-121 with 2.1 seconds to play, but Jayson Tatum capped the scoring with two free throws.
LeBron had 41 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers, who received 16 points and 10 rebounds from Davis. Patrick Beverley added 15 points, five rebounds and five assists as Los Angeles fell for the second time in three games.
Tatum contributed 30 points and 11 rebounds for Boston. Malcolm Brogdon came off the bench to score 26 points for the Celtics, who made 34 of 39 free throws. The Lakers went 15 of 20 at the line.
The Lakers led 67-56 after a James dunk capped an 11-0 run with 8:04 remaining in the third quarter.
Boston put together a 9-0 run and took its first lead of the second half when Brogdon nailed a 3-pointer with 2:15 left in the third. It was 81-81 entering the fourth.
Boston point guard Marcus Smart missed his fourth consecutive game with a sprained right ankle. The Celtics were also without center Robert Williams III, who was a late addition to the injury report with a sprained left ankle.
The Lakers trailed 28-27 after one quarter but had a 54-48 lead at halftime. After Boston scored the first eight points in the second quarter, Los Angeles went on an 11-0 run to grab a 38-36 advantage with 5:39 remaining in the half.
It was the second meeting between the teams this season. The Celtics earned a 122-118 overtime victory in Los Angeles on Dec. 13.
