Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis dunks the ball during the first half of an NBA game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday in Los Angeles.
AP photo
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Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis pokes the ball out of the hands of Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum during the first half of an NBA game Monday in Los Angeles.
AP photo
Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis reacts after making a 3-point basket during the first half of an NBA game against the Boston Celtics on Monday in Los Angeles.
AP photo
LOS ANGELES — Kristaps Porzingis had 28 points and 11 rebounds, Jayson Tatum added 25 points and the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers for the first time in Christmas Day meetings 126-115 on Monday.
Jaylen Brown had 19 points and Derrick White chipped in with 18 points and 11 rebounds. All five starters had at least 18 points for the Celtics, who have won three straight and 12 of their past 14.
Anthony Davis scored a game-high 40 points with 13 rebounds, LeBron James had 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, but the Lakers have dropped six of eight since winning the inaugural In-Season Tournament.
After trailing for the only time in the game early in the third quarter when Jarred Vanderbilt threw down a dunk, Boston ripped off seven straight points to regain the lead. Porzingis had 13 points, helping spot the Celtics a nine-point advantage going into the fourth.
Boston successfully kept Los Angeles at arm’s length in the final quarter, despite Davis hitting the 40-point mark for the 40th time in a regular season game.
The Celtics ran right over the Lakers’ starting lineup, scoring the first 12 points capped by a 3-pointer from Brown, and would lead by as many as 18 in the first quarter.
Los Angeles got back in it in the second, thanks to some hot shooting from Taurean Prince. He had 11 points making all four of his shots, including three 3’s, to cut the deficit to 58-57 at the half.
Both teams got a scare when Brown and James were shaken up in a collision with 4:02 left in the second. Brown was cutting back to the ball when he took a bad step and pulled up, leading to James kneeing him in the back. Each player was attended to on the court, with Brown going back to the locker room before returning to start the third quarter.
It was the third game on Christmas Day between the two most storied franchises in the league. The Minneapolis Lakers won in Boston in 1951, and Los Angeles was victorious in 2008.
Knicks 129, Bucks 122
NEW YORK — Jalen Brunson scored 38 points and the New York Knicks snapped Milwaukee’s seven-game winning streak, ending their lengthy skid against the Bucks with a victory.
The Knicks had dropped nine straight meetings, including a 130-111 loss on Saturday in the opener of this two-game series. The Bucks had handled New York easily twice while rolling through their December schedule, but they haven’t solved Brunson all season, and the point guard got plenty of help from his teammates this time.
Julius Randle added 24 points and nine rebounds, RJ Barrett bounced back from a poor game Saturday with 21 points and Immanuel Quickley came off the bench for 20.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard each scored 32 points for the Bucks, who fell to 9-2 this month. Khris Middleton added 24.
The Bucks rang up 146 points against the Knicks in the quarterfinals of the In-Season Tournament on Dec. 5 and didn’t cool off much Saturday. But they seemed short on energy Monday in the middle of an extended Christmas stay in New York, with still another game remaining in the city when they visit Brooklyn on Wednesday.
Milwaukee came in averaging 132.4 points in December but couldn’t even break 40 until there were less than four minutes remaining in the first half. The Bucks trailed by 16 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining in the game before a late flurry that made the scorer closer than the game felt.
Brunson went 15 for 28 from the field, following up games of 45 and 36 points against the Bucks this season. Isaiah Hartenstein had 11 points and eight rebounds, and Josh Hart came off the bench for 10 points and nine rebounds.
Antetokounmpo had 13 rebounds and six assists, but the Bucks fell to 3-3 in their sixth straight Christmas appearance.
The overhead video board incorrectly listed his brother Thanasis as the starter when lineups were announced, but Giannis quickly reminded everyone who he is, slamming down a lob pass on the opening possession and then making a jumper on the next trip. But Brunson was the best player on the floor the remainder of the period, scoring 15 points to spark the Knicks to a 36-27 lead after one — the same lead the Bucks had Saturday.
Lillard tried to help the Bucks chip away at a 13-point deficit in the second but didn’t get much help, with Middleton going 1 for 7 and Antetokounmpo 1 for 6. Randle’s 3-pointer made it 62-51 at the break.
Milwaukee cut it to 77-73 midway through the third quarter, but Hart had a good burst of three straight Knicks baskets later in the period as New York pushed it back to 98-87 after three.
Nuggets 120, Warriors 114
DENVER – Jamal Murray scored 28 points, Nikola Jokic overcame an off day from the field by going 18 of 18 from the free throw line and the Denver Nuggets extended their winning streak to five games by holding off the Golden State Warriors on Monday.
Jokic finished with 26 points despite going 4 of 12 from the floor. He set a career-high with his 18 made free throws. Jokic also had 14 rebounds and eight assists.
Last Christmas, the Nuggets big man erupted for 41 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in an overtime win over Phoenix.
It was a back-and-forth game that featured nine lead changes in the second half. Denver took a lead for good on Jokic’s left-handed hook shot with 5:16 remaining.
Andrew Wiggins gave the Warriors a boost by scoring 22 points as he returned to the floor after missing two games with an illness. Stephen Curry took a bit to warm up, not scoring until midway through the second quarter, but heated up late to finish with 18 points.
Golden State played on Christmas for an 11th straight year.
The Warriors moved to 5-2 since the indefinite suspension of Draymond Green after striking Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic in the face. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before the game that Green has mostly stayed away during his suspension. Kerr added that he has been in contact with the training staff and the coaches.
The combination of Kevon Looney and rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis took turns trying to frustrate Jokic, who didn’t have his customary touch around the basket. All five Denver starters scored in double figures, with Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon both posting double-doubles.
Denver coach Michael Malone showed up for his pregame media interview wearing a Nuggets-themed Christmas sweater. Being the son of a longtime NBA coach, Malone said some of his fondest memories were going to games on Dec. 25, particularly when his father was an assistant coach for the New York Knicks.