After two hard-fought wins to open the 2023-24 season, the Boston Celtics have been due for an evening with rather less drama. They discovered precisely that in Monday night time’s showdown with the rebuilding Washington Wizards. They ran the Wizards off the court docket within the opening quarter and by no means slowed the scoring tempo from there, a tricky fourth quarter from the bench unit however. The Celtics earned themselves a 126-107 win.
Jaylen Brown was incandescent this night, scoring 36 factors and threatening the group file for three-pointers made (11 by Marcus Good), making eight via three quarters of play. Alongside him was Tatum, who recorded his second 30+ level night time in three video games, scoring 33. Kyle Kuzma led the Wizards with 21 factors, however Washington’s diminished roster merely didn’t have sufficient weapons to maintain tempo.
It didn’t take lengthy for the Celtics to determine themselves on this one. They opened the sport on a 13-5 run that prompted a Wizards timeout, and tacked on a pair extra buckets to open a double-digits and past as play resumed. Brown seemed notably comfy, beginning the sport 6-of-9 from the sphere and pacing the Celtics with 16 first quarter factors. It was a pure offensive tirade; the Celtics seemed like they have been taking part in a very completely different sport than the flat-footed Wizards. Boston led by a cavernous margin of 42-19 heading into the second.
Additionally trying comfy was Porzingis, taking part in his first sport in opposition to his former group. With Daniel Gafford out resulting from damage, the Wizards made the curious resolution to play small, beginning Kuzma on the heart place over previous buddies Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala. It was the flawed name to make in opposition to Boston’s 7-foot-3 offseason acquisition. Porzingis scored 13 factors and swatted a shot within the first half.
The Jays switched locations within the second quarter, with Tatum selecting up the tempo and splashing a pair of threes to maintain the Celtics’ offense buzzing. The Boston lead continued to increase, cracking the 30-point threshold halfway via the quarter because the Celtics began to threaten to double up the Wizards up, 60-30. The double-up didn’t stay in play lengthy, because the Celtics appeared to shift into “forestall protection” mode and surrendered 32 within the second body. Nonetheless, they adopted up a 42-point first quarter with a 35-point second and entered the halftime break with a 77-51 lead.
Any momentum the Wizards may need constructed late within the first half didn’t switch to the second. The Celtics compiled a fast 9-2 run within the early minutes of the third quarter to revive their benefit again over 30 factors. Brown continued to compile his game-leading scoring complete, surpassing the 30-point threshold early within the quarter. He and Tatum threatened to outscore the Wizards simply by themselves — via three quarters, the duo mixed for 69 factors to Washington’s 75. The Celtics entered the ultimate quarter with a 33 level lead.
If there was a degree of concern with the Celtics’ efficiency tonight, it was the bench. Boston’s reserved continued to supply comparatively little on the offensive finish of the ground this night. Al Horford scored X factors off of some good work on the offensive glass, however in any other case, no bench participant recorded a degree via three quarters of play. Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser mixed to shoot 0-of-3 from behind the three-point arc.
The bench noticed a possibility to kind some issues out because the fourth quarter started, as each groups opted to empty the bench to shut out the night time’s proceedings. The Wizards took the chance to avoid wasting a little bit of face, as their reserves constructed up a 19-4 run in opposition to a really weak effort from Boston’s deep bench unit. The run wasn’t fairly sufficient to drive Boston’s starters again into the sport, however the Wizards drew as shut as 15 factors. A troublesome look from the Celtics bench tonight, and one which may immediate some questions relating to this group’s depth.
Subsequent up, the Celtics will return house to host the Indiana Pacers this Wednesday at 7:30 PM on NBC Sports activities Boston.
