ORLANDO — Boston forward Jayson Tatum had 40 points as the Celtics beat the Orlando Magic 126-120 on Saturday to improve to 3-0 in the all-new National Basketball Association (NBA) season while the Philadelphia 76ers fell to 0-3.
The San Antonio Spurs’ rebuild stunned the Sixers 114-105 in Philadelphia, where frustrated 76ers coach Doc Rivers said after the game his team was “not ready” to win yet.
In Orlando, Tatum’s heroics and a 27-point contribution from guard Derrick White helped the Celtics earn another win in a game that featured 21 lead changes with neither team able to create a two-man advantage. figures.
Orlando big man Wendell Carter tied the score at 111-111 with a handed dunk with 4min 23sec left.
Carter then fouled Tatum and Tatum’s two free throws sparked a 10-2 run that put Boston down for good.
Terrence Ross led the Magic with 29 points and first draft pick Paolo Banchero added 23, but Orlando fell to 0-3.
It’s also where the 76ers found themselves after the inexperienced Spurs – whose championship chances were downplayed by none other than coach Gregg Popovich before the season – drained 16 three-pointers on the way to their second win. consecutive.
Devin Vassell scored 22 points, Keldon Johnson added 21 and Tre Jones added 17 for San Antonio while Doug McDermott made four three-pointers on the way to 14 points.
San Antonio’s trio of top scorers all have less than three years of league experience, and Popovich said he was impressed with the young team’s performance on the second night of a straight road.
“What it showed me is that they really want to improve and know what the league is like,” Popovich said.
The Spurs held off a 40-point performance from Philadelphia star big man Joel Embiid but held James Harden to 12.
“We’re not ready yet,” Rivers said. “Honestly, we just aren’t. We are not ready to win yet. You can feel it and so we have a lot of work to do.
“It’s almost like we played hard those first two games, competed, and then we felt like ‘OK, now we can win a few games’ – you always have to go out and win the game.”
In Dallas, Luka Doncic scored 21 of 32 points in the first quarter and the Mavericks hammered the Memphis Grizzlies 137-96 in their home opener.
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