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Celtics win fifth in a row, retain first place in the Atlantic

The Associated Press
February 2, 2017 at 6:29AM
Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas gestures during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors in Boston, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017. Thomas scored 44 points as the Celtics defeated the Raptors 109-104. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas scored 44 points as the Celtics defeated the Raptors 109-104 on Wednesday night. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Isaiah Thomas scored 19 of his 44 points in the fourth quarter to lift the host Boston Celtics over the Toronto Raptors 109-104 on Wednesday night in a showdown for first place in the Atlantic Division.

When Thomas hits a shot in the fourth now, his teammates and many in the stands look down at their wrists, simulating looking at a watch to signal that it's Thomas' time.

"I just did it one game, and it kept going," Thomas said.

It was the fifth straight win for Boston, which moved 1 ½ games ahead of the Raptors.

Miami 116, Atlanta 93: The host Heat extended the NBA's longest current winning streak to nine games.

Golden State 126, Charlotte 111: Stephen Curry hit 11 of 15 three-point tries and scored 39 points for the host Warriors before taking the fourth quarter off. Curry recorded his fifth career game with at least 11 threes. Six of them came in the first quarter. Golden State had 77 points at halftime.

New York 95, Brooklyn 90: Willy Hernangomez had 16 points and 16 rebounds for the Knicks, and Sasha Vujacic made team history by converting a pair of four-point plays.

Detroit 118, New Orleans 98: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored a career-high 38 points and the host Pistons ended an eight-game losing streak against the Pelicans.

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L.A. Clippers 124, Phoenix 114: Eric Bledsoe scored 41 to tie the career high he set two games ago, but the host Suns lost their fifth in a row.

Dallas 113, Philadelphia 95: The host Mavericks won for the fifth time in six games. The 76ers played without injured starters Robert Covington and Joel Embiid.

Notes

Injury report: Golden State center Zaza Pachulia (strained rotator cuff) will be sidelined for at least a week. … Sacramento guard Garrett Temple (torn hamstring) likely will miss two to three weeks.

Off the court: Sacramento's Matt Barnes turned himself in to New York police to face misdemeanor assault charges stemming from a Dec. 5 altercation at a nightclub.

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