Celtics 90 - 89 Trail Blazers
Final
  for this game

Turner's late 3 lifts Celtics past Blazers

Jan 23, 2015 - 6:20 AM Portland, OR (SportsNetwork.com) - Evan Turner nailed a go-ahead 3-pointer with a second remaining and the Boston Celtics defeated the LaMarcus Aldridge-less Portland Trail Blazers 90-89 on Thursday night.

"For sure," Turner said when asked if he liked taking clutch shots. "I love them even more when they go in."

Jared Sullinger missed a potential go-ahead triple before tracking down the rebound following a scramble and calling a timeout with 8.5 seconds to play. Sullinger then got the ball at the right elbow, but Wesley Matthews poked it away.

Sullinger retrieved the ball in the paint and from a sitting position, found a wide open Turner in the right corner and he knocked down the trey to put the Celtics in front.

Portland was unable to get off another shot at the other end.

Sullinger finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, Avery Bradley posted 18 points and four assists and Brandon Bass added 13 points and 10 boards for the Celtics, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

The Blazers announced earlier Thursday that Aldridge will miss up to two months with a thumb injury. Aldridge was injured in Monday's win over the Kings and sat out Wednesday's loss to the Suns. A second MRI on Thursday revealed a radial collateral ligament tear in his left thumb, which will require surgery.

"It is what it is and we have to move on," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. "He's going to miss some games and we're going to have to hold down the fort while he's gone."

Damian Lillard tallied 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while Matthews provided 18 points for Portland, which has dropped four of its last five games.

Sullinger's left-handed layup capped a 10-3 Boston run and tied the contest at 87-87 with 1:56 left.

Matthews split a pair of foul shots and Thomas Robinson also hit 1-of-2 from the foul line later to stake the Blazers to an 89-87 edge with 26.6 seconds on the clock.

Earlier, the Celtics led 23-19 following a quarter of play and 44-42 at the break.

A C.J. McCollum trey and a Lillard dunk in the waning seconds of the third gave the Blazers a 72-67 advantage heading into the final frame.

Game Notes

Aldridge is averaging a double-double of 23.2 points and 10.2 rebounds so far this season ... Boston won its first road game this season against a Western Conference opponent. It had been 0-4 coming in ... Portland fell to 3-3 without Aldridge on the campaign.






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