BOSTON (AP) — Payton Pritchard had 21 points, including five 3-pointers and the Boston Celtics held off a late charge to beat the Sacramento Kings 101-100 on Friday night.
Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points and 11 rebounds – his second straight double-double – to help the NBA’s top team claim its 12th consecutive win at home one game after clinching home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They’ve won 13 of their last 15.
De’Aaron Fox had 40 points for the Kings and banked in a go-ahead 26-footer with 27 seconds to play. But after Celtics reserve Xavier Tillman put Boston back in front, Fox misfired on a jumper – one of three potential game-winning shots for the Kings in the final 7 seconds as the Celtics survived.