CLEVELAND (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 25 points, Gordon Hayward added 18 and the Boston Celtics beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-96 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory despite missing All-Star guard Kyrie Irving.
A strained left hip prevented Irving from facing his former team, but the Celtics made up for his absence by getting 17 points from Marcus Smart and 13 from Jaylen Brown to hold off the scrappy Cavs.
Rookie Collin Sexton scored 27 — but none in the fourth quarter — for the Cavs, who dropped to 3-20 since Dec. 19. Alec Burks, who has been linked to recent trade talks, added 21 for Cleveland.