NBA: Celtics bounce back from home loss, trounce Grizzlies

Jayson Tatum collected a game-high 34 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 31 minutes and the Boston Celtics led wire to wire en route to a 131-91 victory over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

Kristaps Porzingis added 26 points and eight rebounds for the Celtics, who played without starting forward Jaylen Brown (lower back soreness). Derrick White finished with 15 points.

Boston extended a 20-point halftime lead as high as 27 points in the third quarter, and were up 99-76 advantage entering the fourth. The Celtics rested each of their starters for all or most of the fourth quarter.

Scotty Pippen Jr. led Memphis with 19 points. The Grizzlies, who have lost their last five games, received 18 from GG Jackson and 14 from David Roddy. Tosan Evbuomwan had a game-high 12 rebounds.

The Grizzlies lengthy injury report included Jaren Jackson Jr., who sat out with right hip soreness. Jackson had 27 points and five rebounds in a 121-101 loss to Golden State on Friday. Santi Aldama (tailbone), Vince Williams Jr. (wrist), John Konchar (calf) and Derrick Rose (hamstring) dressed Sunday, but did not play. Memphis used only eight players.

The victory allowed the Celtics to avoid losing back-to-back games at home. Boston, which was coming off Thursday's 114-105 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, has an 11-1 record in games following a loss this season.

The Celtics led 29-20 after one quarter and 70-50 at halftime. Memphis trailed 46-44 with 4:55 left in the second quarter, but Boston went on a 21-4 run and had a 67-48 advantage after Tatum made a 3-pointer with 38.5 seconds remaining in the half.

Tatum led all scorers with 23 points at halftime. Memphis shot 36.5 percent from the field (19 of 52) at the half.

The Celtics beat the Grizzlies 102-100 in Memphis on Nov. 19 in the first of the two meetings between the teams this season. — Field Level Media/Reuters