LOS ANGELES – Boston star Jayson Tatum was ejected in the third quarter, but the Celtics clawed out a 125-119 National Basketball Association win over the short-handed Philadelphia on Dec 1 as the Orlando Magic notched a ninth straight victory.

Tatum scored 21 points before he was tossed for arguing a foul call after tangling with Robert Covington with one second left in the third. He was “extremely surprised” to be ejected for just the second time in his career.

Said the All-Star forward: “They were ready. They were ready to throw me out. Did I cuss? No, I didn’t... I was shocked.

“They always say, ‘Get your money’s worth. You’re going to get fined.’ I definitely did not get my money’s worth.”

However, crew chief Bill Kennedy said: “Jayson continued to complain and was asked multiple times to head to his bench.

“He continued to complain about the foul called on the floor and overtly gestures towards the officials.”

Covington made the technical free throw, and two free throws awarded when Tatum’s foul was upgraded to a flagrant because of contact with Covington’s head.

That put the Sixers up 97-95 going into the final period.

Philadelphia’s reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid missed a second straight game with illness.

Ailing Tyrese Maxey and injured Nicolas Batum were ruled out shortly before the game.

But the Sixers pushed Boston to the finish, pulling ahead 116-115 with 2:28 remaining before Al Horford’s driving basket put Boston up for good with 2:09 to go.

Patrick Beverley scored 26 points, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out seven assists for Philadelphia.

De’Anthony Melton scored 21 points before he fouled out with less than six minutes to go.

Jaylen Brown and Horford scored 20 points apiece for Boston, who made eight of 11 three-pointers in a sizzling 44-point first quarter.

But they surrendered 72 points in the first half to trail by three at the break.

Tatum had received a technical in the first quarter, and when he was whistled for a foul after colliding with Covington. His objections were so strong that Celtics coaches moved to steer him away from the officials.

Horford said the Celtics had to lock back in after Tatum’s departure. “We just had to get stops, get gritty,” he said.

In Phoenix, Suns star Kevin Durant moved to 10th on the NBA all-time scoring list but it was the Denver Nuggets who emerged with a 119-111 victory.

Durant came into the contest needing 17 points to pass Moses Malone (27,409 points) on the all-time scoring list.

He did so with a lay-up in the final minute of the first half, scoring 22 points before the break but just eight after, his 30 points taking his career total to 27,423.

In Orlando, German forward Franz Wagner scored 31 points and Paolo Banchero added 28 with 13 rebounds and seven assists for the Magic, who tied a franchise record with their ninth straight win, 130-125 over the Washington Wizards.

Moritz Wagner added 18 points for Orlando, who seized the lead for good in a game that featured 13 lead changes on Wagner’s lay-up with 7:06 remaining, the basket igniting a 7-0 scoring run.

“Really proud,” Banchero said, after the Magic matched their nine-game winning streaks of the 1994-95, 2000-01 and 2010-11 seasons.

“Obviously the work’s not done, but it shows just how hard we’ve been working, the chemistry we’ve been able to build so far. We just want to keep it rolling.”

Meanwhile, LeBron James said he will be in the stands when his son makes his college debut for the University of Southern California, even if it means he needs to miss a game with his Los Angeles Lakers teammates.

Bronny James, 19, has been sidelined from his freshman season at USC since going into cardiac arrest during a pre-season practice on July 24. He was cleared to return to play on Nov 30. AFP, REUTERS