NBA-best Celtics stretch win streak to six by crushing Nets

SAN FRANCISCO – Derrick White scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 20 to spark the NBA-best Boston Celtics over Brooklyn, 136-86, on Wednesday (Thursday Manila time), the fifth-largest blowout win in club history.

The Celtics won their sixth consecutive game, with Payton Pritchard adding 28 points off the bench.

Boston, which had beaten Indiana 155-104 in November, became only the third club in NBA history with multiple 50-point or better wins in a season, joining Milwaukee in 1978-79 and Sacramento in 1992-93.

Kristaps Porzingis scored all 15 of his points in the first half as the Celtics seized a 68-32 halftime lead and boosted the league's top record to 43-12.

"It's a good treat going into All-Star break, winning this big," Boston forward Sam Hauser said.

"It has been a good season so far. Get some time to rest up, get our minds and bodies right. Definitely still some areas to get better at."

It was also coach Joe Mazzulla's 100th career triumph over two seasons guiding the Celtics.

"It's something to be proud of, to be grateful for, just a testament to the people you have around you," Mazzulla said.

Also stretching their win streak to six games were the Dallas Mavericks, who ripped visiting San Antonio 116-93.

Kyrie Irving had 34 points, nine rebounds and seven assists while NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic added 27 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Mavs.

Victor Wembanyama had 26 points and nine rebounds for the Spurs.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, powered by Donovan Mitchell's 30 points, won for the 17th time in 19 games, rallying from 17 points down to edge visiting Chicago 108-105 despite Coby White's 32 points for the Bulls.

"That's a playoff-type basketball game. We physically gutted it out," Mitchell said.

"They got going. They got hot from 3(-point range). Coby White made some tough shots. For us to lock in in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter, it was big time."

The Cavs, who first led 80 seconds into the fourth quarter, stayed six games behind Boston in the Eastern Conference.

"We're a tough group," Mitchell said. "At the end of the day we've got to go out there and prove it."

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