The NBA champion Boston Celtics, fueled by 32 points from Jayson Tatum, bounced back from an overtime defeat with a gritty 124-109 victory over the Hornets in Charlotte on Friday.

Tatum added 11 points for his third double-double of the season and Jaylen Brown scored 25 points with six rebounds and five assists in a physical game that saw tensions erupt in the fourth quarter when former Celtic Grant Williams sent Tatum sprawling with a shoulder-to-shoulder check.

Williams was ejected, but Brown and others were clearly angered.

Less than a minute later, LaMelo ball was assessed a flagrant foul for crowding in under Tatum as the Celtics star attempted a three-pointer, and Charlotte's Miles Bridges was ejected in the final minutes for punching the ball.

It all could make for fireworks when the teams face off again on Saturday, but Charlotte's loss of composure was costly.

In Toronto, the Los Angeles Lakers let a 26-point lead dwindle to single digits but held on to snap a two-game losing streak with a 131-125 victory over the Raptors.

LeBron James set the tone early, scoring 14 of his 27 points in the first quarter.

Anthony Davis poured in 38 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in another monster offensive effort. However, he was more concerned that the Lakers, up 76-51 at halftime, let the Raptors back into the game.

Toronto had cut the deficit to six points early in the fourth quarter and the Lakers' lead was at eight, 106-98, when Rui Hachimura drilled a pair of three-pointers to push Los Angeles' advantage back to 12.

That lead was halved with 1:02 remaining before the Lakers closed it out.

"Unacceptable," Davis said. "We won, and we'll take the win for sure because it's hard to win in this league, especially on the road. (AFP)