The Boston Celtics recorded their third straight win on Monday night by holding off the Memphis Grizzlies, 109-106, at FedExForum.
The Celtics improved to 7-3 while the Grizzlies went to 7-4 after losing on their home floor for the first time this season.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
The Celtics showed what happens when they play at their apex and did so for a large portion of the second quarter.
Boston blitzed the Grizzlies by going on a game-altering 20-0 run with superstar Jayson Tatum at the center of it. The run turned a nine-point deficit into a double-digit lead as the Celtics played to practically their maximum potential. The Celtics got it done on both ends during the stretch and showed just how dominant they can be with all the talent they can put on floor.
But the Celtics couldn’t sustain that level of play in the second half, which is something they are still working on as consistency has been a small issue so far at the beginning of the season. Boston actually trailed by a point heading into the fourth quarter.
The Celtics used another run, though, this time a 14-2 spurt in the final frame to seize control and put the Grizzlies away for good.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Tatum got it going after getting called for a technical foul at the end of the first quarter. He spearheaded the massive 20-0 tear and finished with a game-high 39 points on 12-for-25 shooting. He did struggle from deep though, going 3-for-11 from beyond the arc, but helped himself out by going 12-for-16 from the free-throw line.
— Marcus Smart’s passing was on another level against the Grizzlies as he continuously set up his teammates. He handed out 12 helpers along with 15 points to notch a double-double. He also had seven rebounds.
— Ja Morant is an electrifying catalyst for the Grizzlies and he displayed why again against the Celtics. Morant tallied a team-high 30 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. He showed off an improved 3-point jumper, too, hitting 5-of-12 attempts from deep.
WAGER WATCH
DraftKings Sportsbook thought there wasn’t a great chance of Smart registering a double-double with odds of him obtaining the feat at +1100. But he secured his second straight double-double by the third quarter, and a $100 wager on the prop bet would have netted out a total of $1,200.
UP NEXT
The Celtics return home Wednesday to take on the 3-8 Detroit Pistons. Tipoff from TD Garden is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
