Celtics Fall To Wizards 111-103 On Christmas
The highly anticipated Celtics-Wizards playoff rematch didn’t go Boston’s way.
Closing the game on a 21-8 run, the Washington Wizards pulled away from the Boston Celtics for a 111-103 victory in a Christmas Day battle at TD Garden on Monday. Bradley Beal led all scorers with 25 points, while John Wall scored 20 with 14 assists and Otto Porter Jr. added 20 points of his own.
The Celtics went up 95-90 on a Kyrie Irving three-pointer with 6:18 left in the fourth quarter, but the Wizards got hot on offense from there with a 12-0 run. John Wall and Bradley Beal each scored six points from that point, while Kelly Oubre scored seven.
Irving finished with 20 points on 8-for-18 (44.4 percent) shooting, including 2-for-6 from three-point range. But he also struggled on defense along with the rest of the C’s starters against the Wizards.
Rookie forward Jayson Tatum played incredibly efficient basketball despite the loss, scoring 20 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the field and 2-for-2 from three-point range. Jaylen Brown struggled shooting the ball, however, as he was just 3-for-9 from the field for eight points.
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Otto Porter Jr. of the Washington Wizards at TD Garden on Dec. 25, 2017. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
Rebounding the story in Celtics-Wizards
Washington’s starters shot 34-of-69 (49.3 percent) from the field, compared to just 23-of-49 (46.9 percent) for Boston. The rebounding battles ended up close with the Wizards getting a 47-45 edge, but D.C. had a distinct 14-8 advantage in offensive rebounds. The Wizards collected seven offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter alone.
Head coach Brad Stevens is well aware of the Celtics’ recent rebounding woes and how it has contributed to their struggles on defense.
“That’s been a pretty consistent theme with us over the last couple of weeks. We’re not rebounding from the wing the way we were earlier in the year,” Stevens told reporters after the game. “Against [the Wizards] you don’t have that margin for error. I mean they’re just too good. They had their way with us, in a lot of ways.”
SEE ALSO: Brad Stevens Pregame Interview
The C’s fell to just 11-8 since starting the season 16-2.
UP NEXT: The Celtics (27-10) head to Charlotte to take on the 12-21 Hornets on Tuesday. The Green beat them 90-87 in Boston back on Nov. 10.
Celtics-Wizards Highlights:
— By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff.
