BOSTON – Jaylen Brown scored 37 points, completing a tying three-point play with 4.1 seconds remaining in regulation and adding 11 more in overtime as the NBA-leading Boston Celtics snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the archrival Los Angeles Lakers 125 -121 on Saturday night.
Brown added nine rebounds, Jayson Tatum had 30 points and 11 rebounds, and Malcom Brogdon scored 15 of his 26 points in the second half of a see-saw game that featured 19 lead changes, six in the fourth quarter, and 15 ties. .
LeBron James had 41 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers. Anthony Davis had 16 points with 10 rebounds, coming off the bench for the second straight game after missing 20 with a foot injury.
Patrick Beverley scored 15 points, twice giving the Lakers the lead in the final minute of the quarter. But he also missed a free-kick that could have clinched it and he was called for a technical foul on the controversial last play of regulation.
Beverly hit a 3-pointer to give the Lakers the lead with 52 seconds left and then, after Boston tied it, she scored on a dunk that made it 104-102 with 19 seconds left. But after Brown missed a 3-pointer, Beverly missed one of two free throws; Al Horford missed a 3-pointer and Brown scored on the kickback and received a delayed foul call.
One game after missing a pair of free throws in the final seconds of a one-point game, Brown made this one to tie the score at 105 with 4.1 seconds left.
The Lakers had a chance to win it in regulation, and James drove to the basket. He missed the layup, and the refs didn’t see Tatum sliding his arm into the shot. An enraged James gesticulated wildly, and Beverly committed a technical foul in the ensuing ruckus.
With Celtics Hall of Famer Paul Pierce cheering on his former team from the sideline and team announcers Boston’s Cedric Maxwell and Los Angeles’ Mychal Thompson trash-talking in the press row, the Celtics they swept their longtime rivals in their two-game regular-season series.
Boston (36-15) has the best record in the NBA despite losing its previous three games, including an overtime loss to the Knicks on Thursday night when Brown missed two free throws trailing by 1-8. remaining seconds.
There was a vocal contingent of Lakers fans making noise as the visitors opened up an 11-point lead in the third quarter. But they were outshouted by the hosts when Tatum, who scored 15 in the third, including three 3-pointers, helped erase an 11-point deficit.
Associated Press contributed to this story.
