Primarily locked into the No. 2 seed, and going through a far-inferior opponent, the Celtics may have simply fallen for the lure Sunday evening and stooped to the lowly Wizards’ degree.
As an alternative, they did what they do finest, enjoying crisp and purposeful basketball en path to a powerful 124-90 triumph at TD Backyard.
With Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis sidelined, the Celtics (58-20) had no bother breezing previous a Wizards (17-61) staff that put up about as a lot resistance as one may anticipate.
Seven Celtics completed in double figures, led by Payton Pritchard with 20, Derrick White with 19 and Sam Hauser with 18. Luke Kornet received the beginning and racked up 13 factors and 14 rebounds in 26 minutes.
Boston shot 46.2 p.c from 3-point vary p.c and out-rebounded the Wizards, 62-32. Marcus Good didn’t play, regardless of a number of makes an attempt from the followers to persuade Winchester native and present Wizards head coach Brian Keefe.
The Celtics discovered a rhythm early, bolting out to a 34-18 edge by one. Boston buried seven 3-pointers, racked up 9 assists and didn’t flip the ball over. Jaylen Brown made a acutely aware effort to get his teammates concerned, ending the primary quarter with 4 assists.
Boston constantly made the additional go and turned down attractiveness for excellent ones. Jrue Vacation and Al Horford have been catalysts, and Kornet and White additionally contributed.
The second quarter was largely extra of the identical, as Boston prolonged the margin to 60-39 at halftime. The Celtics’ first turnover got here with 8:43 left within the second quarter, and so they completed the half with simply three, in comparison with 18 assists.
The protection was additionally sharp for probably the most half, as Boston dedicated simply three fouls and held Washington to 34.8 p.c taking pictures (13 p.c from 3) within the half. Gamers like Jordan Poole and Bub Carrington are going to hit some photographs, however the Celtics restricted them to a mixed 1 for 11 from 3 earlier than the break.
Torrey Craig supplied a gradual dose of physicality and toughness, blocking three photographs and corralling 5 boards within the half.
The Wizards briefly lower it to 16, then a White 3 helped spark one other Celtics run. Brown, who maybe dove on the ground a bit greater than followers could like given his knee damage, hit a string of contested photographs. Kornet helped the Celtics retain possession on a hustle play and celebrated with a demonstrative level.
Baylor Scheierman splashed a 3, then stole a pas and delivered a reasonably behind-the-back go to Vacation for 2, then swished one other 3 in a span of a minute to assist Boston push the margin to 100-68 by three.
The fourth quarter was a formality, and it supplied Pritchard, Hauser, Scheierman and the remainder of the Celtics a possibility for some goal follow.
The Celtics have now received two straight, 11 of their final 12 and 16 of 18. They’ll face the Knicks on the street Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. That one needs to be a bit extra aggressive than this one.
