NBA GAME RECAP

Thomas ties mark as Celtics defeat Sixers

The Sports Xchange

February 15, 2017 at 10:22 pm.

Feb 15, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) drives to the basket against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half at TD Garden. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 116-108. Photo Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 15, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) drives to the basket against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half at TD Garden. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 116-108. Photo Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

BOSTON — Isaiah Thomas tied John Havlicek’s 45-year-old Celtics record with his 40th straight 20-point game and then pulled off his usual fourth-quarter heroics to lead Boston to its fourth straight win Wednesday night.

Thomas, who has failed to score at least 20 in all but one game he’s played in this season, scored seven straight points for his team after the Celtics blew an eight-point fourth-quarter lead. That and a late 10-0 spirt allowed the Celtics to escape with a 116-108 victory over Philadelphia, ending the 76ers’ three-game winning streak.

Thomas, who finished with 33 points, scored 18 in the first half and then opened the second with a drive that got him to 20. He had only four in the third quarter but then came through again in the fourth. He entered the game leading the NBA in fourth-quarter scoring at 10.6 points per game and finished this game with 11 in the fourth.

Havlicek set his record from Nov. 17, 1971 through Jan. 30, 1972.

The Celtics, playing without the injured Avery Bradley and Jaylen Brown, won despite committing a season-high 22 turnovers, but turned up the defense as the Sixers also turned the ball over 22 times, many of those down the stretch and eight of them on Marcus Smart steals.

Smart had 17 points and five assists, Jae Crowder and Kelly Olynyk both scored 16 — Olynyk with seven rebounds off the bench — and Amir Johnson 15 for Boston, winners of 11 of its last 12 to get to 37-19 with one game left before the All-Star break.

Dario Saric came off the bench to lead the Sixers (21-35 as they hit the break) with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Robert Covington scored 18 points and grabbed nine boards.

Covington left the game in the fourth quarter after hitting his head at or near the Boston bench diving for a loose ball. Later in the quarter, Gerald Henderson was ejected for two technical fouls.

The normally sure-handed Celtics turned the ball over on each of their first four possessions of the night and 12 times in the first half. But they quickly erased a 6-0 deficit and opened a seven-point lead later in the quarter. They led by six when the Sixers scored the last six points of the quarter and the game was tied at 29. It was also tied at the half, with neither team playing much defense in a 61-61 game.

Johnson’s hustle helped the Celtics open the second half on a 12-2 run for a 10-point lead. The lead grew with 12 with five minutes left in the third quarter. Boston led by eight entering the fourth but couldn’t hold the lead.

NOTES: F Jahlil Okafor, who has missed the last two Sixers games amid trade talk, did not start but entered Wednesday’s game in the first quarter. … 76ers coach Brett Brown says the team will know more after the All-Star break about when rookie F Ben Simmons will make his NBA debut. “We do expect him to play this year,” Brown said, also saying the same thing about injured C Joel Embiid (knee). … Boston G Avery Bradley missed his 19th straight and 20th in the last 21 games with an Achilles injury. He will not play Thursday when the Celtics visit the Chicago Bulls. … Brown expressed disappointment G T.J. McConnell was not selected to play in the NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge. … The Celtics observed a moment of silence for former draft pick and player Fab Melo, who died recently. … Boston brass presented G Isaiah Thomas with his commemorative All-Star jersey before the game.

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