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BOSTON — Marcus Morris drained a fallaway three with 1.2 seconds left to lift the Celtics to an improbable 100-99 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday night at TD Garden. The 3-point capped a furious rally in which the Celtics wiped out a six-point deficit in the final 24 seconds.
Terry Rozier, who knocked down a key three with 12 seconds remaining, finished with 14 points while Jayson Tatum led Boston with 23. Morris added 21, including the game-winner.
For a fourth straight game, the Celtics were without Kyrie Irving, who will seek a second opinion on his sore left knee as the Celtics head out on a four-game Western swing, beginning Friday in Portland.
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With Irving, Jaylen Brown (concussion) and Marcus Smart (right thumb) all at the end of the bench offering their support in street clothes, the Celtics looked like an inspired group for significant stretches of the first half.
Those stretches featured driving layup and dunks from Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier, as Boston managed to erase an early 10-point hole and take a 41-36 lead on a 19-8 spurt.
That run featured a dunk from Tatum on a drive in the lane and a one-handed finish that brought Irving and Smart to their feet cheering.
Tatum throws it down hard! ? pic.twitter.com/MCBwba8ldK
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 21, 2018
Rozier followed with a one-handed dunk on a similar drive in the paint that electrified the Garden crowd. On the next Thunder possession, Rozier stole the ball and drove the length of the court for a dunk, giving the Celtics a 41-36 lead and forcing Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan to call timeout.
Scary Terry skies for the jam! ? pic.twitter.com/9pTHVet6M9
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 21, 2018
The Thunder finished the first half on a 12-4 run to assume a 48-45 halftime lead. Morris, as he did in Boston’s last home game, led the way, scoring 11 on 5-of-8 shooting. Tatum also poured in 11 in the opening 24 minutes
But coming right out of halftime, Morris continued his torrid shooting, draining a three in the opening 10 seconds to tie the game again. Al Horford knocked down a long jumper and Tatum followed with a three for a 57-52 lead.
The Celtics went cold at the end of the third quarter, falling behind by seven twice, including 75-68. But Boston scored the final five points of the period, including a Shane Larkin bank three that hit off glass, the front of the rim, spun to the back rim and fell through, as the Celtics trailed by just two, 75-73, heading into the fourth.
Larkin at the ?! pic.twitter.com/XRA47lVKv8
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 21, 2018
Larkin continued to provide a boost in the fourth quarter. His three-point play with 9:30 left drew Boston to within a point, 77-76. With just over seven minutes left, his three gave the Celtics an 82-81 lead. His offensive rebound of a Horford missed three gave the Celtics another possession.
With just over four minutes left, George drained a straightaway three for an 84-82 Thunder lead. After another miserable missed three by Horford, Carmelo Anthony connected on a 3-pointer and it was 87-82 with 3:15 left. But Tatum picked up some slack with 2:55 left to make it 87-85. But Melo came right back with another three, and it was 90-85. Greg Monroe drove the paint and his layup with 2:15 left made it 90-87. Corey Brewer drained a baseline three with 1:52 remaining and OKC led, 93-87.
With 51 seconds remaining, Steven Adams hit one of two free throws for a 96-92 lead. Then with 24.7 seconds left, Brewer drained a pair of free throws to make it 98-92. With the Thunder leading 99-94, Terry Rozier connected on a three with 15 seconds remaining. Anthony was then fouled and missed both free throws with 7.7 seconds remaining to give the Celtics one final chance.
