NBA: Jaylen Brown scores 44 points as Boston Celtics dominate Indiana Pacers

Jaylen Brown scored 44 points as NBA champion Boston Celtics responded to consecutive losses with a 142-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Jayson Tatum contributed 22 points and Payton Pritchard added another 18, giving Boston its highest point total of the season.

With the win, the Celtics stayed in touch with the Eastern Conference leaders, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Cleveland improved its league-best record to 27 wins in 31 games – four more than the Celtics – with a 149-135 victory over the Denver Nuggets in the eight games played Friday.

Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points while six Cavaliers players scored in double figures in the team’s sixth straight win, although the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic posted a triple-double with 27 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists for Denver.

Elsewhere, Anthony Edwards hit a three-pointer with 23.2 seconds left to give the Minnesota Timberwolves a 113-112 victory over the host Houston Rockets, who led by 16 points with less than five minutes to play.

Jalen Brunson scored 26 points as the New York Knicks extended their winning streak to six games with a 108-85 victory over the Magic in Orlando, while Victor Wembanyama had 19 points and seven rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Brooklyn Nets by 96 :87 defeated in Brooklyn.

The Los Angeles Clippers won 102-92 against the Golden State Warriors, who were without the injured Stephen Curry.

Kyrie Irving’s 20 points helped the Dallas Mavericks beat the Phoenix Suns 98-89, and the Memphis Grizzlies recorded their eighth win in ten by defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 132-124.