BOSTON — Jaylen Brown knocked down a pull-up three to give the Celtics a chance to play the bench in the fourth again. Payton Pritchard extended that run to 7-0, securing a 12-point lead that he, Svi Mykhailiuk, Oshae Brissett, Sam Hauser and Xavier Tillman Sr. prepared to defend after Tillman saved Boston after a 21-1 collapse on Friday with a game-winner.
They wouldn’t need one this time, despite the Blazers staying close all game behind 22 offensive rebounds, the most allowed by the Celtics since their Mar. 3 collapse against Brooklyn in 2020 shortly before that season shut down. They didn’t cost Boston this time, due in large part to 42.1% three-point shooting, back-to-back Hauser and Tillman long shots burying the Blazers by 18 late in the fourth before the Celtics won 124-107. Brown scored 26 on 10-for-17 shooting, reaching 10,000 career points in the third, while White added 15 while Pritchard finished 7-of-11 with 16 points off the bench. Jayson Tatum did not play.
The Blazers tortured Boston on the glass almost immediately, grabbing 16 offensive rebounds in the first half to shatter the 13 Boston allowed in the second half to the Kings on Friday and to Phoenix in the first half last month at home. They got three in the first three minutes of the game to tie the Celtics 5-5 on Ayton’s put back, the first of his five first half offensive rebounds. Six of their next 13 turned directly into Portland points as the Celtics could only build a 63-56 lead at half.
Dalano Banton came off the bench and shot aggressively in his return to Boston, shooting 6-for-12 in the first half and pouring in the final put back of the second quarter. He shot 3-for-6 from three to show his offensive improvement and tossed four assists, while Ayton led the Blazers scoring effort alongside him with mid-range makes and put backs, posting 12 points on 6-of-13 shooting. The Celtics acknowledged Banton, Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III on the video board, but did not do a tribute to any of the three.
“Yeah, I don’t he wish he was here,” Mazzulla said, asked about regret versus pride in seeing Banton shine elsewhere. “He did a great job, but the thing about the NBA is the situation and the opportunity that you get. He played his role and took advantage of the opportunities he got for us here, but he’s getting much more of an opportunity there and he’s taking advantage of that. Just a credit to his work ethic and I’m happy for him.”
The Celtics built an 11-point lead midway through the second before the Blazers’ 40% first half shooting cut that to four just over one minute later. Boston held Portland scoreless on the next seven possessions before Banton led a 7-3 run to keep the game close into the third. Kristaps Porzingis opened that frame with his fifth block, but the offensive rebounds kept flowing before Banton score four points late to pull the Blazers within six again. Brown, Jrue Holiday and White had built a 14-point lead to begin the quarter with a 7-0 run before Portland tied the Pistons, Pacers and Suns with 19 offensive rebounds for the most against Boston in a game this season. A mark they’d shatter.
In the third, they’d turn into seven extra Blazers points. After Portland grabbed its 21st, Kornet hauled in only Boston’s third, then White passed to Sam Hauser for three, giving the Celtics some breathing room up seven. The bench unit increased its ball pressure in the fourth, keeping Banton off the board while holding Portland to 2-for-8 shooting while forcing three turnovers midway through the frame. Banton reached 28 points and nine assists with a pass to Kris Murray, a pair of layups and a long two, but watched as old friend Brissett broke away for a pair of dunk contest style slams.
