Aldridge's 48 lead Spurs past Celtics 115-96

LaMarcus Aldridge had 48 points and 13 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs ran past Boston 115-96 on Sunday, giving the short-handed Celtics their fourth straight loss.

The Spurs have won 10 of 12 to strengthen their grip on a Western Conference playoff spot. San Antonio (43-31) is eighth in the conference, a half-game behind Oklahoma City and Utah.

Aldridge had his second-highest scoring output of the season. He scored 56 points on Jan. 10 against the Thunder.

Boston Celtics' Gordon Hayward (20) drives past San Antonio Spurs' Marco Belinelli (18) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Sunday, March 24, 2019 (AP PhotoMichael Dwyer)

Marcus Smart led the Celtics with 14 points. Kyrie Irving had 11 points and 12 assists, but was just 5 of 17 from the field. Irving left the game briefly and went to the locker room in the first quarter with an injury to his left hand, but returned and played the rest of the way with tape on his left ring finger.

San Antonio led by 16 less than two minutes into the fourth, and the lead grew as high as 25 in the final period.

The Spurs allowed 61 points to Houston's James Harden in a loss Saturday night, the most points scored against San Antonio during Gregg Popovich's tenure as coach.

Boston Celtics' Guerschon Yabusele (30) shoots against San Antonio Spurs' Derrick White (4) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Sunday, March 24, 2019. (AP PhotoMichael Dwyer)

Popovich's team seemed unfazed by the setback.

Aldridge connected on eight of his first 12 shots. He had 20 points less than 10 minutes in and finished the half with 25 to help San Antonio take a 54-47 lead.

Boston's defense had little for Aldridge, who finished 20 of 31 from the field in 37 minutes. He was pulled with 1:35 remaining after picking up his fifth foul.

San Antonio Spurs' Jakob Poeltl (25) and Boston Celtics' Marcus Smart (36) vie for a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Sunday, March 24, 2019. (AP PhotoMichael Dwyer)

The Celtics got Gordon Hayward back from a concussion and Aron Baynes returned after missing a game with a left ankle sprain.

Jayson Tatum (back contusion), Al Horford (left knee soreness) and Robert Williams III (back soreness) all remained sidelined for a team that trails fourth-place Indiana by two games in the East standings.

TIP-INS

San Antonio Spurs' Bryn Forbes (11) drives past Boston Celtics' Gordon Hayward (20) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Sunday, March 24, 2019. (AP PhotoMichael Dwyer)

Spurs: It was Aldridge's seventh career 40-point game. ... He has 27 double-doubles on the season. ... Had 32 assists and just eight turnovers.

Celtics: Smart's 14 points was the fewest points for a Boston leading scorer in a game this season. ... Connected on just 40 percent of their field goal attempts (38 of 94). ... Irving's 18 games of 10-plus assists are the most by a Celtics player since Rajon Rondo had 27 such games in 2012-13. ... Signed C Greg Monroe to a 10-day contract.

UP NEXT

Spurs: At Charlotte Tuesday.

Celtics: At Cleveland Tuesday.

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Suggs added 24 points and the Orlando Magic handed Cleveland the worst playoff loss in franchise history, winning 121-83 on Thursday night to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, who led by 43 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the third-largest margin of victory in a playoff game. They earned their first playoff victory since 2019 and the first on their home floor since April 26, 2011.

They can even the series with a victory at home Sunday.

Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who shot 39% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range. Caris LeVert added 15 points and Donovan Mitchell had 13 points and seven assists.

76ERS 125, KNICKS 114

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-shifting third quarter to lead Philadelphia to a win over New York in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Embiid boldly stated “we’re going to win this series” after the 76ers dropped Game 2.

With one of the finest postseason efforts of his career, Embiid became the third player to ever score 50 points against the Knicks in the postseason and kept the hope of a Philadelphia series comeback very much alive.

The Knicks lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

Embiid was 13 of 19 from the floor overall, made 19 of 21 free throws and hit five 3-pointers.

NUGGETS 112, LAKERS 105

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Gordon had 29 points and 15 rebounds, Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Denver moved to the brink of the second round with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their first-round series..

Jamal Murray scored 22 points as the defending NBA champion Nuggets won their 11th consecutive meeting with LeBron James and the Lakers in dominating style.

Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points for Denver, which took control in the third quarter and cruised through the final minutes to its fifth straight road win over Los Angeles, starting with its sweep of last season’s Western Conference finals.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Los Angeles. No NBA team has ever rallied from an 0-3 playoff deficit.

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) makes a shot as he gets past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)