Celtics Beat Grizzlies 117-112: Brown Scores 30 in Comeback Win | AP News

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 30 points and Luka Garza added a season-high 22 as the Boston Celtics rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 117-112 Friday night, extending their winning streak to four games.

The Celtics’ victory keeps them firmly in second place in the Eastern Conference, 1.5 games ahead of the New York Knicks, who also won Friday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Boston overcame a sluggish shooting performance, particularly from three-point range where they connected on just 26% of their attempts.

Tyler Burton led the Grizzlies with a career-high 23 points, a notable performance for the forward who recently signed a 10-day contract with Memphis on March 12. Ty Jerome contributed 16 points and seven assists, although Javon Slight and DeJon Jarreau each added 13 points for the undermanned Grizzlies.

Memphis maintained a competitive edge through the first three quarters, despite Boston’s shooting struggles. However, the Celtics began their comeback in the fourth, fueled by Brown’s scoring and Garza’s season-best performance. With 5:33 remaining, the Grizzlies held a narrow 103-102 lead, but Boston responded with a 10-0 run to secure the win.

The Grizzlies, playing without nine injured players including several undergoing season-ending surgeries, had snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 125-118 victory over Denver on Wednesday. The team’s depleted roster included notable absences such as Ja Morant, Cedric Cowherd, Zach Edey, Santi Aldama, Brandon Clarke, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Scotty Pippen Jr., GG Jackson, Jahmai Mashack and Taj Gibson.

The Celtics were also without a key player, as Nikola Vucevic missed his seventh consecutive game due to a fractured right ring finger. Payton Pritchard added 19 points for Boston, contributing to the team’s balanced offensive effort.

Despite the Grizzlies’ hustle, Boston’s late-game surge proved decisive. The Celtics converted 45% of their field goal attempts overall and were efficient from the free-throw line, making 26 of 30 attempts. Memphis shot 47% from the field but struggled from beyond the arc, making only 14 of 43 three-point attempts.