Irving scores 38, leads Celtics over Grizzlies

Kyrie Irving stalled a Memphis Grizzlies rally with two consecutive jumpers and later added a game-clinching 3-pointer to cap off a 38-point effort as the host Boston Celtics held on for a 122-116 victory on Friday night.

Marcus Smart and Al Horford also hit key late hoops to finish off high-scoring nights in helping the Celtics win their second straight and complete a two-game, season-series sweep of the Grizzlies.

Mike Conley had 26 points to pace the Grizzlies, who lost their fourth straight.

After a back-and-forth first half in which the Celtics built as much as a 15-point lead before falling behind 62-58 by halftime, Boston led through much of the second half, but only by 106-104 after a Conley free throw with 4:53 remaining.

That's when Irving countered with his two lead-saving hoops, extending the Boston advantage to six before his free throw and the baskets by Smart and Horford pushed the advantage to 115-108.

Irving's victory-clinching 3-pointer came with 1:22 to go and gave Boston an eight-point lead.

Irving shot 14-for-21 and completed a double-double with a team-high 11 assists for the Celtics, who were coming off a 117-108 win over Toronto.

Smart finished with 20 points and Horford 18 for Boston, while Jaylen Brown added 12, Terry Rozier 10 and Aron Baynes six to complement a game-high 12 rebounds.

Eighteen of Smart's 20 points came on 6-for-8 shooting on 3-pointers.

Conley had four 3-pointers among his game-high point total for the Grizzlies, who complete a two-day, two-game trip Saturday at Toronto.

Marc Gasol recorded an 11-rebound, 12-assist double-double for Memphis while scoring just four points, while Jaren Jackson Jr. had 23 points, Shelvin Mack 15, Justin Holiday 14, and JaMychal Green and Omri Casspi 12 apiece.

The Celtics outshot the Grizzlies 51.2 percent to 44.6.

--Field Level Media

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)