Celtics Beat Knicks, Pull Away in the East; Timberwolves Avert 2nd Straight Loss at Home
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 25 Feb 2024
The Boston Celtics have pulled farther away in the race for the top in the Eastern Conference, with a road 116-102 drubbing of the New Knicks whose position now at fourth remain precarious with the loss.
Meanwhile the Minnesota Timberwolves averted a second straight home loss with a 101-86 victory over a scrappy Brooklyn Nets, placing them temporarily at solo first in the West.
Playing in their home floor at the Madison, the Knicks through Jalen Brunson (38), Donte Divinzencio (12) and Josh Hart (12) tried to keep the game close with the first half ending 62-58 in Boston's favor. But New York is without its other star players Julius Randle and OG Annunoby while Boston is complete with JT (Jason Tatum), JB (Jalen Brown) and KP (Kristap Pozunghis) plus Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford Derrick White and Sam Hauser coming off the bench and contributing their share.
Boston put the game away with a big 35-26 third quarter and coasted along in the final 12 minutes as the Knicks failed to reduce their double digit deficit till the game's end. Brown topped with 30 followed by Porzinghis 20, Tatum 19 and White 13.
Boston at 45-12 is eight won games away from the second running Cleveland Cavaliers and 9 over the Milwaukee Bucks. New York at fourth with 34-23 is barely a game ahead of the slumping Philadelphia 76ers and barely two over the Indiana Pacers and the Orlando Magic.
Minnesota which was defeated at home by Giannis Antetokoumpo and the Bucks yesterday appeared headed for another loss as Brooklyn for three quarters kept the game very close even at times getting a slim lead.
The Timberwolves are without one of their twin tower Rudy Gobert so Karl Anthony Towns had to play the slot to contain Nets' 6-11 center Nick Claxton while contributing his lion's share in points production. They brought up 6-10 Kyle Anderson to help fill the gap and he responded by scoring 12 points and hauling down
9 boards.
Guard Anthony Edwards topped for T-Wolves with 29 with Towns contributing 28 and Mike Conley adding 12. Cam Thomas led the Nets scoring with Mikal Brudges and Claxton.
Minnesota takes temporary lead in the West with 40-17 one won game ahead of the OKC Thunder. (39-17).
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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