Celtics scrape past Lakers in OT

LOS ANGELES  – The Boston Celtics edged the Los Angeles Lakers 125-121 in an overtime battle tinged by controversy on Saturday as Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid outdueled Denver’s Nikola Jokic as NBA rivalries took center stage.

The league-leading Celtics came out on top in a game that featured 19 lead changes, snapping a three-game skid.

The Lakers led by seven midway through the fourth quarter, but Jaylen Brown converted a three-point play to tie it up at 105-105 with 4.1 seconds left.

He went on to score 11 points in the extra session after LeBron James’s drive to the basket at the end of regulation ended in a miss, with James and the Lakers pleading for a foul call after Jayson Tatum brushed his arm.

The call didn’t come and Boston prevailed, withstanding a 41-point performance from James – who jumped up and down in frustration at the non-call before kneeling on the court.

“The best player on Earth can’t get a call – it’s amazing,” said Lakers coach Darvin Ham, who spoke of the “agony” of losing such a huge game.

“I don’t understand it,” James said, adding that he didn’t think it was the first time a non-call proved costly to the Lakers this season.