Celtics deal Cavaliers their first defeat

NBA HIGHLIGHTS

Jayson Tatum compiled 33 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists in the Celtics’ home victory over the Cavaliers on Tuesday night. Winslow Townson / Getty Images

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The Associated Press

The defending NBA champions held off the league’s hottest team on Tuesday night, with Jayson Tatum scoring 33 points and adding 12 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 120-117 victory over visiting Cleveland and hand the Cavaliers their first loss after 15 straight wins to open the season.

Cleveland cut a 21-point deficit to two in the third quarter, and Donovan Mitchell hit a rainbow 3-pointer with 24 seconds left to make it a four-point game. Tatum sank one of two free throws, and then clobbered Mitchell at the other end, leaving the Cavaliers guard on the floor in need of medical attention.

Mitchell eventually stepped to the line and sank both free throws, but Boston inbounded the ball without trouble and passed it downcourt for an easy Al Horford dunk to clinch it.

Tatum sank six of Boston’s 22 3-pointers, and added seven assists for Boston’s third straight win.

Mitchell scored 35 points, and Evan Mobley had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who were the fourth team in NBA history to open the season with 15 wins in a row. The 15-game winning streak was longest in franchise history.

SPURS 110, THUNDER 104: Keldon Johnson scored 22 points, Harrison Barnes added 20 and San Antonio, without Victor Wembanyama, beat visiting Oklahoma City.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 32 points and Jalen Williams added 27 points for the Thunder.

OKC closed the game on a 27-12 run but was unable to score in the final minute.

NUGGETS 122, GRIZZLIES 110: Jamal Murray scored 27 points, Michael Porter Jr. added 24 points and 10 rebounds and Denver snapped a two-game losing streak by winning at Memphis.

The Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook tallied 12 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds for his 200th career triple-double.

Santi Aldama led the Grizzlies with 28 points.

Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic of Denver missed his third straight game for personal reasons.

MAVERICKS 132, PELICANS 91: Luka Doncic returned to the lineup and scored a game-high 26 points, Klay Thompson added 19 and Kyrie Irving had 18 as host Dallas defeated New Orleans for its thiord straight win.

NETS 116, HORNETS 115: Cam Johnson scored 34 points, Dennis Schroder had 14 points and 12 assists and Brooklyn snapped a three-game skid by beating visiting Charlotte.

The Hornets’ Brandon Miller, who had 29 points, missed a 3-pointer that would have tied the game with 1.1 seconds left.