Boston Celtics survive 40-point outburst by Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox

De’Aaron Fox had an offensive explosion at TD Garden, but it wasn’t enough as the Sacramento Kings fell short to the Boston Celtics 101-100.

The 26-year-old guard finished with a game-high 40 points with 7 three-pointers for the Kings. Domantas Sabonis recorded 16 points, 16 rebounds, and 6 assists while Keegan Murray had 10 points and 11 boards. Harrison Barnes scored 10 points with 2 triples.

Jaylen Brown and Derrick White did not play in this game, so Kristaps Porzingis led the Celtics with 20 points and 11 rebounds on 70% shooting. Jayson Tatum had 17 points while Payton Pritchard scored a team-high 21 points off the bench, including 5 three-pointers. Jrue Holiday finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists. Xavier Tillman had 9 points and hit the game-winning shot.

Sacramento drops to 44-33 with this loss and are the 8th seed in the West. They have the same record as the 9th seeded Lakers, so there’s a chance the Kings could drop even further down the standings. They are looking to make the playoffs for the second straight season and will try to turn things around on Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets.

Boston continues to show their dominance this season as they improve to 61-16 on the season and extend their lead over the rest of the NBA. The Celtics are ready for the playoffs and will look to win the championship this postseason. They are 8-2 over their last 10 games and will face off against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.