BOSTON — Jaylen Brown knocked down a pull-up three to give the Celtics a chance to play the bench in the fourth again. Payton Pritchard extended that run to 7-0, securing a 12-point lead that he, Svi Mykhailiuk, Oshae Brissett, Sam Hauser and Xavier Tillman Sr. prepared to defend after Tillman saved Boston after a 21-1 collapse on Friday with a game-winner.
They wouldn’t need one this time, despite the Blazers staying close all game behind 22 offensive rebounds, the most allowed by the Celtics since their Mar. 3 collapse against Brooklyn in 2020 shortly before that season shut down.