# LeBron James exits with left groin injury as Tatum powers Celtics past Lakers

Jayson Tatum had 40 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, and the Boston Celtics held off a late rally to beat the  111-101 on Saturday night.

With  in the locker room with a strained groin, the Lakers cut a 20-point, fourth-quarter deficit to single digits. But Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored Boston’s final 12 points to preserve the win. Brown added 31 points as the Celtics earned their fourth straight victory.

James finished with 22 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists before exiting midway through the fourth quarter as the Lakers had their eight-game win streak ended. On Sunday  that the Lakers expect James to miss at least one to two weeks with the injury.

Luka Dončić had 34 points and eight rebounds in his first game in Boston since he and the Dallas Mavericks lost Game 5 of the  finals as Boston clinched their 18th championship. Things fell apart in a third quarter in which they showed very little connectivity on offense. It’s clearly something that’s still missing at times with the addition of Dončić.

Jrue Holiday return after missing four straight games with mallet finger in his right pinkie. But center Kristaps Porzingis sat for the fifth consecutive game with an illness.

The TD Garden crowd was brought to its feet with 3:50 left in the first quarter when Brown stripped Dončić, led a fast break and found a streaking Al Horford for a two-handed slam.

Horford’s momentum caused him to swing forward, and he inadvertently kneed a trailing Dončić in the head as he swung back. No foul was called on the play, though Dončić was clearly irritated by the collision.

The Celtics held the Lakers to 21% shooting from the field (5 of 23) in the third quarter, with Los Angeles also committing six turnovers. The Lakers visit Brooklyn on Monday. The Celtics host the Jazz on Monday.

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