National Basketball Association
Boston 119, Memphis 95
When: 7:30 PM ET, Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Officials: #42 Eric Lewis, #74 Curtis Blair, #64 Justin Van Duyne
Attendance: 19156

Jayson Tatum scored 23 points before exiting with a groin injury in the third quarter as the Boston Celtics crushed the visiting Memphis Grizzlies 119-95 Wednesday night.

Daniel Theis added 14 points, Enes Kanter chipped in 13 points off the bench, and Marcus Smart and Gordon Hayward scored 12 apiece as the Celtics won their second straight since losing six of eight.

Jonas Valanciunas had a team-high 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Jaren Jackson Jr. and Solomon Hill each added 13 points for the Grizzlies, who lost their second straight since a seven-game win streak. Memphis dropped its eighth consecutive meeting with Boston.

Tatum limped off the court and to the locker room with 4:43 left in the third. The team later announced he sustained a right groin strain and would not return. The Celtics already were without Jaylen Brown for the game due to a right ankle sprain.

It mattered little as Boston used a stretch of 23 unanswered points in the second quarter to take control of the contest. Memphis was up 42-35 with 6:53 to go before its drought began, and it wouldn't score again until Valanciunas completed a layup with 1.3 seconds remaining to get the Grizzlies within 58-44 at the break.

Tatum led all scorers with 21 first-half points, including 10 during the lopsided spurt, and Theis had 12 on a career-high-matching three 3-pointers. Despite the big lead, the rest of the Celtics starters shot 1 of 16 combined.

Valanciunas scored 11 before the break to lead Memphis.

Boston began the third with a 20-7 spurt as the lead grew to 27. The Celtics went up 84-54 on a Semi Ojeleye bucket with 4:12 to go in the third, and they carried a 99-63 lead into the final quarter.

Boston went up by as much as 38 down the stretch as it sat all its starters in the fourth. Celtics guard Kemba Walker finished the game with eight points on 2-of-9 shooting.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Memphis   Boston
Jonas Valanciunas 16 Scoring Jayson Tatum 23
Ja Morant 5 Assists Marcus Smart 6
Jonas Valanciunas 13 Rebounds Enes Kanter 8
Dillon Brooks 3 Free Throws Made Javonte Green 5
Kyle Anderson 2 Steals Jayson Tatum 2
Jaren Jackson Jr. 4 Blocks Daniel Theis 3
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Memphis 95 42.4 11-32 12-15 24 40 8 7 19
Boston 119 50.6 14-32 15-20 32 44 9 11 11
Upcoming Games
  • Boston will play their next game on the road against Orlando. The Celtics have a W/L % of .724 after a win and .571 after a loss.
  • Memphis will play their next game on the road against Detroit. The Grizzlies have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .417 after a loss.