Portland is definitely struggling to move forward without his master playing Damian Lillard, injured in the groin. The point guard missed his third game in a row on Tuesday night and is expected to miss at least two more. Without their All-Star, the Trail Blazers lost to the Celtics (106-118).
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However, CJ Mc Collum does his best to shoulder the responsibilities that fall to him, in the absence of Lillard. He was still very present with 28 points and 10 assists, and also well supported by Hassan Whiteside in double-double mode (18 points, 19 rebounds). But it was not enough.
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Against the Celtics, still deprived of Kemba Walker (left knee), but led by a Jayson Tatum who still carded (36 points) and broke his three-point shooting record with a nice 8 out of 12 to consolidate the third place of the Celtics in the East (40 wins-17 losses).
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This is the third time in four matches that Tatum has scored at least thirty-five points. Note that he managed this performance without going once on the free throw line and that he scored twenty-six of his thirty-six points in the second half.
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At the end of the match, the Celtics hero was quick to exchange his jersey with that of his opponent, Carmelo Anthony (14 points to 5/14), whose franchise is still two wins behind Memphis (8th , 28 v.-29 d.) In the race for the play-offs.
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