Boston’s Al Horford pulls down a rebound during a 117-109 win Friday night against the New Orleans Pelicans. Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — Jaylen Brown had 27 points and 10 rebounds, Derrick White highlighted a 26-point performance with six 3-pointers, and the Boston Celtics beat the New Orleans Pelicans 117-109 on Friday night for their ninth straight win.

Jayson Tatum had 19 points and 10 assists for the Celtics, who made 20 3s and shot 48.2% (41 of 85) overall. Al Horford was 4 of 5 from deep and scored 18 for Boston, which led by double digits for much of the game and by as many as 19.

Brandon Ingram hit a season-high five 3s and scored 25 points for New Orleans, which was playing without star power forward Zion Williamson (bruised right foot) for a third straight game. The Pelicans lost for the first time in four games.

CJ McCollum scored 18 points and Herb Jones added 17 for New Orleans, which clawed back within striking distance when Ingram’s 3 made it 105-97 with 3:54 to go. But Boston responded with a feisty sequence in which Horford rebounded Tatum’s missed 3, and then Brown rebounded two of his own misses before converting a putback.

New Orleans never got closer than seven points after that.

Boston got off to a blazing start, hitting 10 times from deep in the first quarter – setting a franchise record for made 3s in a quarter – to take a 40-25 lead. Horford was 4 for 4 on 3s in the opening quarter.

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Boston led by as many as 18 in the second quarter, when Malcolm Brogdon’s 3 made it 43-25. But McCollum scored seven points in the Pelicans’ 17-4 run to briefly cut it to 47-42.

Boston built its lead back up to 14 before Ingram’s jumper and McCollum’s short floater in the lane made it 67-57 at halftime.

76ERS 110, BUCKS 102: Joel Embiid had 32 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and short-handed Philadelphia overcame a 13-point deficit to beat visiting Milwaukee.

Embiid, who averaged 40 points and 11 rebounds in his previous four games, had 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the second half after 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey left just before halftime because of a left foot injury.

Maxey had 24 points, five assists and four rebounds before rolling his ankle while driving to the basket. Philadelphia said he will have an MRI Saturday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 25 points and 14 rebounds, but his struggles from the free-throw line – he was 4 of 15 – were amplified with each attempt in the second half by a raucous Philadelphia crowd.

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Already without starters James Harden and Tobias Harris, Philadelphia stepped up its defensive in the second half, especially in the third quarter when it outscored Milwaukee 34-22.

WIZARDS 107, HEAT 106: Bradley Beal scored 27 points, Kristaps Porzingis had 20 points and a season-high 17 rebounds, and Washington won at home in overtime against undermanned Miami.

Kyle Lowry had a triple-double for Miami with 24 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds, and Max Strus scored 22 points.

Miami had just seven healthy players and was forced to dress Gabe Vincent, who was out with a knee injury, to satisfy the NBA requirement that teams have eight players in uniform.

CAVALIERS 132, HORNETS 122: Darius Garland scored 41 points, Donovan Mitchell added 34 and Cleveland survived a fourth-quarter collapse to beat visiting Charlotte in double overtime, snapping a five-game losing streak.

The Cavs blew a 10-point lead in the final 52 seconds of regulation as the Hornets made four 3-pointers, the last an off-balance shot from Terry Rozier deep in the corner with 1.1 seconds left to tie it 105-all.

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Charlotte, which has dropped 10 of 11, had a chance to win it in the first five-minute overtime, but Rozier missed a contested jumper just before the horn.

MAGIC 108, BULLS 107: Jalen Suggs nailed a wild 3-pointer in the closing seconds and Orlando won at Chicago after blowing a 19-point lead.

Wendell Carter Jr. led Orlando with 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds against his former team.

DeMar DeRozan scored 41 for Chicago, but the Bulls lost their fourth in a row.

GRIZZLES 121, THUNDER 110: Jaren Jackson Jr. had 25 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks and Memphis beat visiting Oklahoma City in a game where Grizzlies star Ja Morant left late because of an ankle injury.

Morant and John Konchar each added 19 points, with Morant finishing with 11 assists and Konchar grabbing 10 rebounds. There was no immediate word on the extent of Morant’s injury.

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Josh Giddy led Oklahoma City with 20 points and 11 assists.

MAVERICKS 127, NUGGETS 99: Luka Doncic scored 33 points in his 50th career triple-double, and Dallas won at home against shorthanded Denver.

The Nuggets were without two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and two more starters – Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.

PACERS 99, ROCKETS 91: Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points and Indiana overcame an early 20-point deficit to win at Houston.

Myles Turner added 17 points and Jalen Smith had a career-high 18 rebounds as the Pacers won their third straight game on a night when Coach Rick Carlisle was ejected before halftime.


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