East-leading Celtics hold off West's best Timberwolves in OT, improve to 18-0 at home

By JIMMY GOLEN

BOSTON (AP) Jayson Tatum scored 45 points - 14 of them in the fourth quarter and another 12 in overtime - as the Boston Celtics beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-120 in a matchup of the two conference leaders Wednesday night to remain perfect at home.

Jaylen Brown had 35 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics, who are 18-0 at home for the first time in franchise history. Jrue Holiday scored 12, including a corner 3-pointer off an offensive rebound by Derrick White to cap a 14-3 run that gave Boston a 111-109 lead with 26 seconds left in regulation.

With Timberwolves co-owner - and Boston nemesis - Alex Rodriguez sitting courtside, Anthony Edwards hit a pair of free throws to tie it. Tatum missed an off-balance shot at the buzzer that could have won the game in regulation.

Edwards had 29 points and Karl Anthony-Towns scored 25 with 13 rebounds for Minnesota (26-11), which has the best record in the Western Conference and trails only Boston (29-8) overall.

The Celtics won their first 17 games at home this season - and 24 regular-season games in a row, going back to last March. (They did lose in Boston during the playoffs, including a Game 7 loss to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.)

Boston led by nine with eight minutes left in the second quarter and still held a 54-48 edge in the final minute of the half before Minnesota scored the last five points before the break, making it a one-point game when Towns stole the ball and fed Edwards on a fast break just before the buzzer.

Towns scored on the first possession of the second half to give the Timberwolves their first lead. Minnesota led 106-97 with 3:35 left in the fourth before Boston scored 14 of the last 19 points in regulation.

UP NEXT

Timberwolves: Host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.

Celtics: At the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba