BOSTON — DeMar DeRozan scored 30 points to lead San Antonio to a 129-114 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, when the Spurs scored 22 of the game’s first 25 points and held on through a slightly more competitive – and controversial – second half.
Kemba Walker returned after missing three games because of the flu, but he was ejected with back-to-back technical fouls when he argued a non-call after a hard screen by LaMarcus Aldridge in the third quarter. A beverage was thrown from the stands, landing in front of the San Antonio bench, though no one was hit. The game was delayed briefly while the court was cleaned up and the public address announcer asked the fans not to throw anything on the court.
Celtics Coach Brad Stevens was also given a technical and Daniel Theis was called for a personal foul, helping the Spurs stop a Boston rally that cut what had been a 22-point deficit to 76-69. Aldridge made two of the three technical foul shots, and Derrick White hit both of his free throws to give the Spurs an 80-69 lead. San Antonio soon went on an 11-0 run, and the Celtics never got within single digits again.
Lonnie Walker IV scored 19 points for the Spurs, who improved to 9-6 since Dec. 1, when they had a 7-14 record. San Antonio avoided what would have been the first season sweep by the Celtics since 2011.
Gordon Hayward scored 18 points and Jaylen Brown had 16 for Boston, which has lost two in a row for just the third time this season.
MINUTES RESTRICTION
Walker was on an unspecified minutes restriction in his first game back. But he wound up playing just 18 minutes before he was tossed. He finished with six points, four assists and three rebounds.
EARLY STRUGGLES
The Celtics made one basket in the first seven minutes and trailed 22-3 before Enes Kanter hit a foul-line jumper to end a 14-0 run by the Spurs. It was 26-7 until Boston scored 11 of the next 13 points, and San Antonio went into the second quarter leading 34-22.
It was 65-47 at halftime.
TIP-INS
Celtics center Tacko Fall played in the first half for the first time. He was in for 5 minutes, missing one shot and grabbing one rebound. He finished with four points and three rebounds in 10 minutes. … Marcus Smart hit his 500th career 3-pointer. … Trey Lyles had seven points and three rebounds for San Antonio in the first quarter.
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