LOS ANGELES — Lou Williams scored 34 points and became the NBA’s career leader in points off the bench as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Boston Celtics 140-115 on Monday night for their fifth straight win.
Williams came into the game needing 28 points to pass Dell Curry, who had 11,147 points when not starting. Williams surpassed Curry with 9:53 remaining in the fourth quarter with a driving layup.
It is also Williams’ 29th career game with 30 or more points. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, starters and reserves were tracked in box scores beginning with the 1970-71 season.
"If you’re in anything that ends in ever it’s pretty impressive," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said before the game. "The way Lou does it with his size and how often he gets in the paint and finishes over big men is amazing."
Danilo Gallinari added 25 points and Montrezl Harrell 20 for the Clippers, who led most of the game and were up by as many as 30 in the fourth quarter.
Terry Rozier led the Celtics with 26 points while Jaylen Brown added 22 and Kyrie Irving 18. Boston had a three-game winning streak snapped as it was trying to become the second Eastern Conference team this season to win all four games in California.
Gallinari scored 13 points in the first quarter to propel the Clippers to a 25-19 lead. Rozier hit a 3-pointer at the start of the second to pull the Celtics within three before the Clippers scored nine straight points to lead 34-22 with 9:55 remaining. Later in the quarter, Irving scored five points during an 8-3 run to get Boston within 46-42, but the Clippers countered with another 9-0 run to push the lead back into double digits.
Los Angeles led 62-49 at halftime. A 3-pointer by Gordon Hayward with 5:04 remaining pulled Boston to 81-72 but that would be as close as the Celtics got.
The Clippers led 101-85 going into the fourth quarter and steadily pulled away.
TIP-INS
Celtics: Jayson Tatum did not play due to right shoulder soreness. It is only the third time in the forward’s two-year career he has missed a game, but the first due to injury. Brown started in his place.
Clippers: Wilson Chandler made his Los Angeles debut at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Chandler was acquired from Philadelphia near the trade deadline but missed nine games due to a right quad strain.
UP NEXT
Celtics: Return home to face Sacramento Thursday.
Clippers: Host Portland Tuesday. The Trail Blazers lead the season series 2-1.
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