Possible Finals preview features 2 surging teams in Spurs, Celtics
Victor Wembanyama and the surging San Antonio Spurs play host to Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics on Tuesday in a possible NBA Finals preview.
The Celtics head to the Alamo City on a two-game winning streak, the latest a 109-98 decision at Cleveland on Sunday in which Brown racked up 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Tatum also contributed 20 points in just his second game back after tearing his right Achilles in May.
After Sunday's game, Tatum said the toughest part of his comeback is that he's on a minutes restriction.
"That s--- sucks, quite frankly," he said. "(Sunday's game) felt a little more normal from a preparation standpoint and mentally. I'm getting back in the flow of things."
Boston also got 18 points off the bench from Payton Pritchard and 16 points and 10 rebounds from fellow reserve Baylor Scheierman. Sam Hauser hit for 15 points on five 3-pointers for the Celtics in Sunday's victory.
"I think everybody just kind of does what they need to do," Boston guard Derrick White told Forbes magazine Sunday. "Obviously, JB (Jaylen Brown) has been special in the entire year, and kind of carrying us through moments throughout the season. Every game it's just us competing at a high level, playing hard, guarding and going out there and playing Celtics basketball."
Boston has held opponents to 100 points or fewer 19 times this season, which leads the league, and has allowed 100 points or fewer in six of its past seven wins and 11 times since Jan. 30. Over that 11-game stretch, the Celtics have won nine times.
Boston also leads the NBA in points allowed at 106.9 per game. After San Antonio, the Celtics will head to Oklahoma City on Thursday as they try to jump from second place in the Eastern Conference and surpass No. 1 Detroit.
However, Boston will be without center Nikola Vucevic, who had surgery to repair a fractured right ring finger Saturday. He won't be re-evaluated until early April.
While the Celtics have been the talk of the league because of Tatum's return to an already loaded and streaking team, there has been equal attention -- rightly so -- on the Spurs and their charge up the West standings as they chase Oklahoma City for the best record in the NBA.
San Antonio has captured four straight games and 14 of its past 15 outings, with the latest statement a 145-120 home win over Houston on Sunday. Four Spurs players scored 20 or more points, led by Victor Wembanyama's 29, as San Antonio produced its most points in a game this season.
"We played a really, really sharp game defensively and on the boards," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "The scoring starts with the defense and the rebounding. When you do that with the speed that we can play with and the talent and the dynamic variety that we have with the basketball, it's really hard to guard."
Stephon Castle added 23 points for San Antonio, while De'Aaron Fox finished with 20 points and 10 assists. Keldon Johnson also scored 20 points, while Dylan Harper had 19 and Julian Champagnie tallied 11. The Spurs shot 58% from the floor and made 21 of 40 3-point attempts, and they have taken the first three games of a six-game homestand.
San Antonio beat the Celtics 100-95 on Jan. 10 in Boston in the first meeting of the year between the teams.