Timberwolves lose in Boston for 18th straight time

Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and Jayson Tatum finished with 26 points and eight rebounds to help the Boston Celtics extend their winning streak to five games by beating the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 107-105 Sunday.

Brown made 7 of his 10 3-point attempts, including five in the opening quarter.

The Timberwolves are winless in their last 18 road games against the Celtics. Minnesota’s last win in Boston came in March 2005.

Minnesota was within two points, 107-105, following a Julius Randle layup with 33.6 seconds to play. The Timberwolves had the ball trailing by two with 7.1 seconds left, but Naz Reid missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer that would have given Minnesota the win.

The Timberwolves received 20 rebounds and 10 points from Rudy Gobert. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards had 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Randle finished with 23 points.

Minnesota, which shot 42 percent from the field, has lost five of its last seven games.

Derrick White added 19 points and nine rebounds for Boston, which made 21 of its 56 3-point attempts (37.5 percent).

Brown opened the game with five 3-pointers to help the Celtics build a 15-6 advantage. Boston missed 11 consecutive shots later in the quarter and an 11-0 run allowed Minnesota to go in front 17-15. The Timberwolves led 27-24 after one quarter.

Boston led 53-43 following two Tatum free throws with 3:39 remaining in the second quarter and extended the lead to 12 later in the second, but Minnesota scored the final nine points in the quarter and Boston had a 55-52 halftime lead.

Boston scored 14 of the first 18 points in the third quarter to stretch its lead to 69-56. Boston had a 19-point lead — its largest of the game — after an Xavier Tillman layup made it a 79-60 game with 4:26 to play in the third. The Celtics led 84-73 entering the fourth.

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