Jaylen Brown forces OT, Celtics snap skid by beating Lakers 125-121

BOSTON (AP)— Jaylen Brown scored 37 points, completing a tying three-pointplay with 4.1 seconds left in regulation and adding 11 more inovertime as the NBA-leading Boston Celtics snapped a three-gamelosing streak by beating the archrival Los Angeles Lakers 125-121on Saturday night.

Brown addednine rebounds, Jayson Tatum had 30 points and 11 rebounds, andMalcom Brogdon scored 15 of his 26 points in the second half of asee-saw game that had 19 lead changes — six in the fourth quarter —and 15 ties.

LeBronJames had 41 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for LosAngeles. Anthony Davis scored 16 points with 10 rebounds, comingoff the bench for the second game in a row after missing 20 with afoot injury.

PatrickBeverley had 15 points, twice giving the Lakers the lead in thefinal minute of the fourth. But he also missed a foul shot thatmight have clinched it and was called for a technical foul on thecontentious last play of regulation. Tatum made the free throw, andBoston never trailed in the extra period.

WithCeltics Hall of Famer Paul Pierce cheering his former team on fromthe sideline and the team’s broadcasters — Boston’s Cedric Maxwelland L.A.’s Mychal Thompson — talking trash on press row, theCeltics swept their longtime rivals in the two-game seasonseries.

Beverleyhit a 3-pointer to give the Lakers the lead with 52 seconds leftand then, after Boston tied it, scored on a putback dunk that madeit 104-102 with 19 seconds to play. But after Brown missed a 3,Beverley missed one of two free throws; Al Horford missed a 3, andBrown scored on the putback and picked up a delayed foul call.

One gameafter missing a pair of free throws in the final seconds of aone-point game, Brown hit this one to tie it 105-all with 4.1seconds to play.

The Lakershad a chance to win it in regulation, and James drove to thebasket. He missed the layup – and the referees missed Tatum swipinghis arm on the shot. An enraged James gesticulated wildly, andBeverley picked up a technical foul in the ensuing hubbub.

The Celtics(36-15) have the NBA’s best record despite losing their previousthree games, including an overtime loss to the Knicks on Thursdaynight when Brown missed two free throws trailing by one with 8seconds left.

There was avocal contingent of Lakers fans making noise when the visitorsopened an 11-point lead in the third quarter. But they wereout-shouted by the locals when Tatum, who scored 15 in the third,including three 3-pointers, helped erase an 11-point deficit.

TIP-INS

Pierce waswearing what appeared to be shamrock pajama pants. … Westbrookmissed his first six shots, as the crowd taunted him to shoot,before finishing with 12 points on 4 of 14 shooting. … Brown pickedup his fifth foul on the first possession of the fourth quarter. …The Celtics beat the Lakers 122-118 in L.A. on Dec. 13. Tatumscored 44 points. Davis had 37 points and 12 rebounds. James scored33 with nine boards and nine assists. … The Celtics were withoutpoint guard Marcus Smart and big man Robert Williams III, who bothhave sprained ankles.

UPNEXT

Lakers: AtBrooklyn on Monday night.

Celtics: AtBrooklyn on Wednesday night.