Aminu scores 28 as Trail Blazers beat Celtics 116-109
Al-Farouq Aminu scored a season-high 28 points (18 on 6 3-pointers), and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Boston Celtics 116-109.
CJ McCollum’s 13-foot step-back jumper answered Jae Crowder’s corner 3-pointer and put the Trail Blazers back ahead for good with 1:04 left in the fourth quarter.
The Celtics had the ball down 1 with 1:04 left, but Allen Crabbe stole the ball from Isaiah Thomas. A basket would have put the Celtics ahead.
Aminu’s driving dunk with 49.2 seconds left made it 112-109, and Damian Lillard’s 2 free throws with 29.3 seconds left put it away at 114-109.
During clutch time, the Trail Blazers outscored the Celtics 11-10. McCollum (No. 6 in clutch wins added, 2015-16) scored 4 of the Trail Blazers’ 11 on 2 for 3 shooting.
For the Celtics, Thomas scored 22 points but shot 6 for 21, and Avery Bradley added 20 points (16 in the third quarter).
The Trail Blazers shot 45.6% from the field and 41.2% from 3 to the Celtics’ 42.0% and 37.5%. They scored the last 8 points of the game. The Trail Blazers outscored the Celtics 21-10 in 5 minutes with Henderson, Aminu, Davis, Crabbe and McCollum on the floor together. Ed Davis fouled out.