NBA roundup: Brown and Tatum lead Celtics past Bucks as teenager Flagg fires 51 points

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tatum-jayson/t4Y4e7r0/"]Tatum[/a] added 11 rebounds, nine assists and three steals before he and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brown-jaylen/l88NjhUb/"]Brown[/a] sat out the fourth quarter with the game in hand against the reeling [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/milwaukee-bucks/QTBEW6rC/"]Bucks[/a].[/p][p]Two nights after their 53-point first quarter against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/miami-heat/CQ7AXnT5/"]Miami[/a], the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-celtics/KYD9hVEm/"]Celtics[/a] got off to another hot start.[/p][p]Eight of their 17 three-pointers came in their 43-point first period, and they led [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/boston-celtics-KYD9hVEm/milwaukee-bucks-QTBEW6rC/?mid=6DV1AwSQ"]75-55[/a] by half-time.[/p][p]The Celtics, who have won five of their last six games, maintained their two-and-a-half game lead over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-knicks/WCNO4nbt/"]New York Knicks[/a] for second place in the East.[/p][p]The Knicks, who have struggled of late against quality teams, had no problem in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/chicago-bulls-bPjc49q0/new-york-knicks-WCNO4nbt/?mid=GO294mv8"]136-96[/a] thrashing of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chicago-bulls/bPjc49q0/"]Chicago Bulls[/a], who have been eliminated from playoff contention.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/anunoby-og-ogugua/jiNJMxEa/"]OG Anunoby[/a] scored a game-high 31 points and grabbed eight rebounds. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brunson-jalen/YLRvL3v7/"]Jalen Brunson[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/robinson-mitchell/S0UU8oWb/"]Mitchell Robinson[/a] added 17 points apiece, Brunson chipping in 11 rebounds as well.[/p][embed guid="01c74d40-6e82-452f-8f62-4a78fe05cdca" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2040254304418660393" social-type="twitter" /][p]Anunoby connected on nine of 15 shots from the field, including seven of 10 from three-point range. Robinson, starting in place of injured center [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/towns-karl-anthony/8np46E9P/"]Karl-Anthony Towns[/a], made all seven of his shots.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-hawks/xAO4gBas/"]Atlanta Hawks[/a], fifth in the East, cruised past the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brooklyn-nets/bsAMUpDO/"]Brooklyn Nets[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/atlanta-hawks-xAO4gBas/brooklyn-nets-bsAMUpDO/?mid=rck2699e"]141-107[/a], and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]Philadelphia 76ers[/a] maintained their hold on sixth place in the East - and the final direct entry berth to the playoffs - with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/minnesota-timberwolves-KjBIVQcI/philadelphia-76ers-vwRW2QSh/?mid=Ms1g8Vvq"]115-103[/a] victory over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/minnesota-timberwolves/KjBIVQcI/"]Minnesota Timberwolves[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/george-paul/KOvfaZVQ/"]Paul George[/a] scored 23 points, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maxey-tyrese/r9DvnZeC/"]Tyrese Maxey[/a] chipped in 21, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/embiid-joel/G2hZm0nI/"]Joel Embiid[/a] returned from a one-game absence due to illness and scored 19 points with 13 rebounds and seven assists.[/p][h2]History for Flagg[/h2][p]With five games left in the regular season, the Sixers remained a fraction ahead of the seventh-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toronto-raptors/CxtbCMdU/"]Toronto Raptors[/a], who beat the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/memphis-grizzlies/U1I5YSDa/"]Memphis Grizzlies[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/memphis-grizzlies-U1I5YSDa/toronto-raptors-CxtbCMdU/?mid=0Wt2n6iC"]128-96[/a] to stay atop the tightly bunched group jockeying for play-in position.[/p][p]The eighth-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/charlotte-hornets/xftMikUg/"]Charlotte Hornets[/a] beat the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/indiana-pacers/YPohMUTt/"]Indiana Pacers[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/charlotte-hornets-xftMikUg/indiana-pacers-YPohMUTt/?mid=jaANDiHL"]129-108[/a], and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-magic/QZMS36Dn/"]Orlando Magic[/a], half a game back and clinging to ninth place ahead of the Miami Heat, withstood a spectacular 51-point performance from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dallas-mavericks/YouS3mEC/"]Dallas[/a] rookie [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/flagg-cooper/dInnahrB/"]Cooper Flagg[/a] in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/dallas-mavericks-YouS3mEC/orlando-magic-QZMS36Dn/?mid=QcCY4Hkl"]138-127[/a] victory over the Mavericks.[/p][p]Flagg, 19, became the first teenager to record a 50-point game in the NBA. He joined Michael Jordan as the only rookies to post multiple games of 45 or more points in their rookie seasons.[/p][p][b]"He should be Rookie of the Year," Mavs coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kidd-jason/UNsTAAqN/"]Jason Kidd[/a] said of Flagg, who scored 24 points in the fourth quarter.[/b][/p][p]Dallas trailed by 19 entering the final frame and were down by 21 when Kidd was ejected minutes into the period for arguing a non-call when he thought Flagg had been fouled.[/p][p]Flagg himself had received a technical for appealing for a call, and teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marshall-naji/Whbrtudp/"]Naji Marshall[/a] was ejected moments later, Flagg seeming only more determined after their departures.[/p][p][b]"The things that he's done, he's in rare air," Kidd said of Flagg's standout first season amid the Mavs' disappointing results.[/b][/p][embed guid="24399a40-ecfd-4249-bd76-f4305b546d95" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2040281327648288864" social-type="twitter" /][p]Despite Flagg's fireworks, the Magic's balanced attack was enough to carry the day. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carter-wendell/U3qv2ehM/"]Wendell Carter[/a] Jr scored 28 points, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bane-desmond/dCwE0YA5/"]Desmond Bane[/a] added 27 as six Orlando players scored in double figures.[/p][p][b]"It was fun," Flagg said. "It's always fun getting into that type of mode. The basket feels big, and your teammates are looking out for you, helping you out.[/b][/p][p][b]"But I love to win. That was my main focus and it's hard for me to fully enjoy myself when we're down by 20, down 10, down 15 for the majority of the game."[/b][/p][p]Elsewhere on Friday night, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sacramento-kings/CvwE1OCB/"]Sacramento Kings[/a] ended a run of four-straight defeats with a tight [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/new-orleans-pelicans-U3yc9SkP/sacramento-kings-CvwE1OCB/?mid=WfFt3eK0"]117-113 victory[/a] over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-orleans-pelicans/U3yc9SkP/"]New Orleans Pelicans[/a], with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raynaud-maxime/EPyysBik/"]Maxime Raynaud[/a] top scoring with 28 points.[/p][embed guid="c83f8254-1677-4c80-a755-1d5feb6e1b91" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2040288847108407456" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/basketball/usa/nba/results/"]Follow the NBA with Flashscore.[/a][/p]