Flagg scored 36 points in the No. 1 rookie’s first game with the team he grew up watching because Boston was the closest NBA city to his hometown, about 200 miles south of Newport, Maine.
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It was Flagg’s third straight 30-point game, five nights after the 19-year-old set the NBA scoring record for a teenager with 49 against Charlotte. The former Duke standout had nine rebounds and six assists.
Payton Pritchard scored 26 points for the Celtics, who were playing without Anfernee Simons. Boston acquired Nikola Vucevic for Simons in a trade with Chicago earlier in the day, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
Luka Garza scored nine straight points for Boston on 3-pointers during a 14-4 run that ended the third quarter and gave the Celtics an 86-67 lead. Garza made all four of his 3-point attempts and scored 16 points in 20 minutes.
Daniel Gafford had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Mavericks despite aggravating a right ankle injury that has sidelined him for 16 games this season. Gafford left in the second quarter but returned in the third.
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Pritchard scored 15 points in the first half on 7-of-10 shooting, and the Celtics never trailed again after Brown hit a tying 3-pointer and scored again from long range midway through the first quarter. Boston led by 23 points in the second half.
Caleb Martin scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half for Dallas.
Next
Celtics: In Houston on Wednesday to finish a quick two-game road trip in Texas.
Mavericks: San Antonio at home on Thursday before visiting the Spurs on Saturday.
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NBA AP: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA