WASHINGTON — In an NBA Cup matchup on Friday night, the Boston Celtics secured a 108-96 victory over the Washington Wizards, powered by Jaylen Brown’s impressive 31-point performance, despite Jayson Tatum’s struggle on the court. With this win, the Celtics improved their record to 2-1 in East Group C, while the Wizards fell to 0-2, marking their tenth consecutive loss overall.
The game saw a crowd that included injured Capitals star Alex Ovechkin, and although the Wizards fought hard, they found themselves down by five in the closing minute. Brown sealed the deal with a high-arching jumper, extending the lead to 99-92 with just 46 seconds on the clock.
Tatum struggled significantly, failing to make a single three-point basket, going 0 for 10, but managed to contribute 16 points. Nevertheless, he managed to maintain a remarkable streak of 55 consecutive games scoring at least 15 points after hitting a pair of free throws with only 11 seconds left.
Jordan Poole led the Wizards with 23 points, but both teams encountered difficulties from beyond the arc, with Boston connecting on only 11 of 46 attempts and Washington making 7 of 28 shots from three-point range.
Notably, the Celtics were without Al Horford due to a non-COVID illness, and with Kristaps Porzingis also unavailable, players like Luke Kornet stepped up, providing necessary size with 6 points and 6 rebounds, shooting perfectly from the field.
On the flip side, the Wizards managed to dominate in the paint, outscoring Boston 52-30, but squandered an opportunity to capitalize on a night when the Celtics were less than optimal.
A significant moment in the game occurred in the fourth quarter when Kyle Kuzma for Washington missed a close-range shot while the team was down by six. Tatum’s jump shot on the ensuing play culminated in a four-point swing, granting the Celtics a 97-89 lead.
In terms of impressive streaks, Tatum ranks just behind Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who possess longer active runs of scoring 15 points.
Looking ahead, the Celtics will return home where they are set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, while the Wizards will travel to Indiana for a matchup on the same day.