BOSTON — The Celtics weren’t happy with their first effort against the Clippers earlier this month in Los Angeles. Their star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown didn’t play up to standards. They lost their poise in one of their worst offensive performances of the season.
Given a chance to redeem themselves Thursday night, their stars showed up. And even without their best bench player, their role players stepped up to close out their homestand on a high note.
Tatum and Brown each scored 29 points as they matched the efforts of Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and carried the Celtics to a winning position down the stretch, and they got some help to clinch a big victory. Marcus Smart had 17 points and nine assists, and Derrick White and Al Horford made several key plays in the final minutes as the Celtics finished a 116-110 victory over the Clippers.
