By ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHOENIX (AP) — Derrick White scored 22 points, Neemias Queta had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics used a big third quarter to beat the Phoenix Suns, 97-81, on Tuesday night, Feb. 24.
Sam Hauser shot 6 for 14, including 4 for 10 from 3-point range, to add 16 points and the Celtics — playing without All-Star Jaylen Brown (right knee contusion) — won their fourth in a row and for the ninth time in their last 10 games.
Baylor Scheierman had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Collin Gillespie had 15 points and Grayson Allen scored 14 as the Suns lost for the fourth time in their last five games. The Suns played without their top two scorers, Devin Booker (right hip strain) and Dillon Brooks (left hand fracture), who combined average nearly 46 points per game.
The Celtics led 50-46 at halftime but took control by outscoring the Suns 30-11 in the third quarter, including a 16-0 run.
The Celtics also held a huge advantage on the boards, outrebounding the Suns by 27, 61 to 34.
Meanwhile, Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points, James Harden added 20 and the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away in the second half for a 109-94 victory over the New York Knicks.
Jarrett Allen had 19 points and 10 rebounds as the Cavaliers won for the eighth time in nine games.
Jalen Brunson had 20 points and Mikal Bridges scored 18 for the Knicks. Mitchell Robinson pulled down 15 rebounds, one off a season high.
New York shot 35 of 86 as Bridges and Brunson were a combined 12 of 36. The Knicks shot 27% from 3-point range (10 of 37). Cleveland came into the game with the fourth-worst defense in the league on 3-pointers.
The Cavaliers and Knicks are both 37-22 and tied for third place in the Eastern Conference. But New York would have the head-to-head tiebreaker edge if the teams are tied at the end of the season after taking two of three meetings.
Cleveland had a 60-54 halftime advantage before taking control in the third quarter. It outscored New York 23-11 in the period, and held the Knicks to 3 of 24 from the field.
Earlier, Zion Williamson scored 26 points, Dejounte Murray added 13 in his first game in nearly 13 months, and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the injury-depleted Golden State Warriors, 113-109.
Saddiq Bey scored 18 points, including a reverse layup he spun off the glass while being fouled to give New Orleans a 107-101 lead with 1:47 left. Former Warriors guard Jordan Poole added 12 points for New Orleans, which won its second straight and posted its fourth victory in six games.
De’Anthony Melton scored a season-high 28 points for Golden State, but missed a free throw with 1:23 left and his team trailing by just four points.
Moses Moody scored 24 for the Warriors, who’ve lost three of four while taking the court missing several key players.
