Coach Joe Mazzulla kept drawing from his bench as the Celtics’ lead reached double digits in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter.

In response, Mike Brown of the Kings benched all of his starting eleven players. Since the Celtics already had the best record in the NBA, this game had less of an impact on their standings than it did on Sacramento.The Kings were down 18 points heading into the fourth quarter, but Mazzulla kept putting faith in his bench players as they clawed their way back, eventually taking a one-point lead in the last seconds.

On Friday night at TD Garden, Boston’s bench players displayed poise in the waning seconds as their team pulled off a razor-thin victory. The Celtics took a one-point lead thanks to Xavier Tillman’s clutch jumper with 7.1 seconds remaining, and they went on to win 101–100.The Celtics (11-6) were led by Payton Pritchard’s 21 points, Kristaps Porzingis’ 20 points and 11 boards, and Jayson Tatum’s 17 points. Domantas Sabonis scored 16 points and De’Aaron Fox scored 40 for the Kings (44–33).

At the 5:41 mark of the first quarter, both teams were struggling offensively. The Celtics, in particular, were having trouble scoring. With their combination of pinpoint shooting and perfectly executed hustle plays, Pritchard and Tillman were instrumental in Boston regaining its footing.

The Celtics, who had a slow start to the game, concluded the quarter on a 24-7 run, increasing their lead to 27-15. Svi Mykhailiuk made a 3-pointer, Tatum contributed six, and Porzingis scored seven. A highlight was the trampoline putback slam performed by the crowd favorite, Luke Kornet.Mazzulla relied on his depth, which has been effective throughout the season, going nine deep in only the first quarter. After getting off to a slow start, Boston went 9 for 10 while Sacramento shot 23.8% for the game.

In the second, Kornet maintained a high energy level by converting an alley-oop pass from Al Horford with a smooth motion. Jrue Holiday put up a smooth step-back three, Pritchard got lucky with a roll, and Tillman got a hustling rebound and fed Porzingis for a rhythm three.Fox led a 17-5 Kings surge that cut Boston’s advantage to 54-50 at halftime, but the Celtics still held a 49-33 edge with 4 minutes and 45 seconds remaining. While the Kings shot 32.1% from beyond the arc, the Celtics managed just 29.2%.

The first half was sloppy on both ends, but it set the stage for a more even second half.

66–52 wаs the finаl scоre with 9 minutes аnԀ 2 secоnԀs remаining in the gаme, cоurtesy tо а 12–2 run thаt incluԀeԀ а stunning periоԀ in which eаch оf the five Celtics hаԀ cоntаct with the bаll. Tаtum sоught оut Pоrzingis insteаԀ оf tаking а pаssаble shоt. аfter HоliԀаy аnԀ Pоrzingis bоth mаԀe the extrа pаss, Hаuser ԀribbleԀ pаst the ԀefenԀer аnԀ hit а wiԀe-оpen HоrfоrԀ fоr twо.Porzingis showed his appreciation for the Celtics’ fan base late in the quarter when, after earning a foul on a breakaway layup, he pounded his chest and saluted the crowd.

Even thоugh they cut the leаԀ tо 75-70 by the enԀ оf the quаrter, the Kings never let the Ԁаmаge builԀ. With оnly twо secоnԀs remаining, PritchаrԀ hit а 3-pоinter, Pоrzingis blоckeԀ а shоt, Hаuser set up Pоrzingis fоr аn аlley-ооp, аnԀ Tаtum cоnverteԀ а cоntrоversiаl 3-pоinter.After limiting Sacramento to 36.5% shooting for the game in the third quarter, the Celtics widened their lead to 84–72 entering the fourth. As the game wore on, the Kings couldn’t keep up with Boston’s relentless passing and ball movement.

At 9 minutes and 24 seconds left, rookie Jordan Walsh came in and collected a rebound. Despite Pritchard’s best efforts, the Kings were unable to overcome Sacramento’s starting pitchers. With 2 minutes and twenty-five seconds left, Fox decreased the lead to 98-92 with a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

After Fox pushed Sacramento up, 100-99, with a 3-pointer at the 27-second mark, Tillman came through with the game-winning play. Even though it lacked aesthetic appeal at times, it sufficed overall.