Wizards vs Celtics Play-In: scores, stats, highlights
The Boston Celtics are moving on to the first round of the NBA Playoffs after beating the Washington Wizards in the second game on the Play-In Tournament.
Jayson Tatum stole the show, setting a very new, very fresh Play-In record with a 50 point performance to lead the home team to victory.
Even first half from TD Garden
The first half was split between two quarters. The Celtics jumped out to the early lead in the first quarter, as Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal struggled to get into the game.
Beal came into tonight with a sore hamstring, but got the ok to suit up. There was a bit of a scare in the first half after finishing off a fast break dunk, Beal grabbed the back of his leg while trotting back on defense.
Tatum and Celtics started hot
Tatum got his night started off quickly to help the Celtics, pacing Boston with 18 points in the first half. But the Wizards made a comeback in the second quarter when Beal started to warm up, and even led by eight points at one point in the game.
Walker with back-to-back-to back threes to start the 3rd
Boston changed the course of the game in the first few minutes of the second half. Kemba Walker came out of the halftime break scorching hitting three straight triples and igniting Boston to a 20-4 run to begin the second quarter.
Tatum took over from there as Walker stepped aside. The former Duke Blue Devil scored 32 points in the second half, while going a perfect 17-17 from the free throw line.
Slow night for Wizards stars
Beal ended the game with 22 points and Westbrook had 20 points and 14 rebounds but went just 6-18 from the field.
The Celtics will now set their sights on the Brooklyn Nets, who they will play in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. The Wizards will have one more chance to make the playoffs on Thursday night, when they take on the Indiana Pacers for the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference.
It is all over from TD Garden. The Celtics win and earn the 7th seed in East. The Brooklyn Nets await.
Gill with the last bucket of the game
Edwards with the floater in the lane
Gafford on the dunk
Tatum and Walker head to the bench, what a night for that duo
Hachimura with the deuce
Walker this time from the top of the key
Timeout Washington with 2:45 remaining at TD Garden.
Walker with a trey from the near corner
3 minutes to go here in Boston
Westbrook tips in the Gafford miss
Tatum at the line again, he is 17-17 at the line and he's got 50 points tonight.
Langford driving to the basket, finishes with a finger roll
Tatum with a hand in his face. 48 for JT
Thompson's second effort extends the lead
Thompson fouled goes to the line, knocks down one of two
Tatum driving and finishing over the Wizards defenders. 45 for JT
Under 8 to go here in Boston
Bertans to the line, knocks down a pair,
Fournier in the corner with a deep ball
Walker with a pull up from the elbow, he's got 23, but had been scoreless since early in the third quarter
Tatum going to the line, he's got 43 after hitting both FTs
Westbrook toes the line, after getting fouled on his way to the basket, and drains both
Langford fouled, goes to the line and hits one of two
Lopez starts the 4th with a hook shot
Fourth quarter is under way from TD Garden
We are through three quarters here in Boston. The Celtics really took control early in that quarter, First it was Walker who set the tone, and the Tatum took over
Tatum going back to work, this time right outside the paint. That's 41 from JT
Beal stops on a dime in the paint, floater over the defender
Tatum going back to the line, he's flirting with 40. Hits both free throws
Matthews wtih a corner three off the catch and shoot
Smith from a tough angle off the glass
Smith on a deep three as the clock was winding down
Tatum to the line, hits both he's got 35
Tatum on the fade away over Beal. 33 for JT
Smith to the line, gets his first points since early in the first half.
Thompson splits a couple free throws.
Nesmith from downtown
Beal extending to the rim, can he get back on track?
Bertans from the baseline with a one handed floater
Goaltending called against Thompson, two points for Westbrook
Thompson slam, after some great ball movement.
Westbrook back to the line, and connects on both.
Westbrook to the line hitting both free throws.
Tatum is on fire!!! 31 points for JT after his last triple
Tatum with an easy lay up
Gafford tips in the Beal miss
Tatum in the corner for three. Timeout Wizards, who are in danger of letting this game get out of hand
Tatum on the spin and fade away
12-2 run for Boston in the second half
Walker's got three triples in the first few minutes of the second half. He's in takeover mode.
Walker has 18 points already tonight
Walker for three again, he's got a couple staright threes out of the gate, and the Celtics are looking good to start the second half.
Walker for three from the topo of the arc
Beal comes back with an and 1 of his own, but he can't hit the FT
Tatum on the baseline drive gets the bucket and the foul, hitting the and 1 FT. He's got 21
Second half about to start from TD Garden, these first few minutes are going to be important in dictating the outcome of this game
It was Ish Smith who kept the Wizards in the game in the first quarter. He was in double digits while Westbrook and Beal struggled to score
Jayson Tatum is the games leading scorer through two quarters with 18 points
Bradley Beal was the story of the first quarter, went to the bench clutching his hamstring, but came to life in the second
Thompson knocks down one free throw as we go to the halftime break with this game on a knifes edge.
Tip slam for Westbrook as he skies of the Boston defense.
Tatum on the fader, gets fouled drains the shot, and the free throw
Timeout Celtics, as Robert Williams is slow to get up after landing awkwardly on his right foot
Tatum hits both free throws, and we are under a minute to go here from the Garden.
Beal with the leaner outside the lane off the glass and in. He's got 11 points this quarter
Walker with the and 1 and hits the free throw
Westbrook hitting the glass, and get the put back
Tatum with a long jumper
Beal hits the mid range jumper
Walker wins the 50/50 ball and an easy score in transition
Marcus Smart limped off the court before the timeout. Holding his right leg
Beal again, he's starting to warm up. He's got 9 points. Timeout from Boston
Thompson bear hugged by Hachimura sending the Boston big man to the line, where he hits one of two free throws
Beal hits a techincal foul free throw, Tech called on Kemba Walker for protesting the referee's call
Beal in transition, spining, getting into the lane and drops a short jumper
Hachimura with another bucket underneath
Rebound and put back for Hachimura
Tatum fouled by Lopez on the drive, goes to the line and hits both
Beal explodes to the rim on a quick step. He looks like he's shaken off what ever was bothering him earlier in the game.
Walker at the charity stripe hits both free throws
Lopez to the line, ties the game up by hitting one of two
Smith with a trey from the top of the key
Fournier from the baseline
Lopez up and under and back up again on a hook shot from the paint. Timeout from Boston.
Beal is back in the ball game
Smith scores a couple quick buckets
Tatum with the deuce on the other end
Hutchinson gets the roll on the baseline
Thompson follows us the miss with a put back
The first quarter is over in this Play-In game from TD Garden
Westbrook to the line hitting both with under a minute to go in the first quarter
Tatum left all alone on the perimeter
Smith dashes to the rack
Smart on the penetration
Smith from the free throw line
Beal goes to the bench, will he come back?
Gafford down low, and he's had a nice start to this game
Walker pulls up from the top of the key
Thompson connects from down low
Gafford out of the TO with the pick and roll alley oop
Smart getting into the paint and another close range bucket for the Wizards. Timeout Wizards
Beal with his first points of the game, but comes up clutching his sore hamstring
Williams on the easy bucket down low
Gafford on the alley oop
Tatum with a three ball out of the timeout
Timeout from Boston
Williams goes to the line, hitting both
Westbrook on the jumper from inside the arc
Smart with a three ball
We are underway from TD Garden!
The defeated team will have to play another game against the Indiana Pacers to get the last playoff spot. You can check all you need to know about this Play in tournament.
The winner of this match between Celtics and Wizars will get 7th place and access to the NBA Playoffs.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the TD Garden where AS English will have live coverage, updates and scores to all the action from tonight’s second game of the Play-In Tournament as the Boston Celtics take on the Washington Wizards.
The Celtics and the Wizards ended the regular season in polar opposite fashions, with the Wizards streaking into the Play-In game while the Celtics struggled to end the season. Boston still finished at No. 7 in the East so they will host Washington tonight.
Wizards hitting stride at the right time
The seven-eight match up will feature the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards. The Wizards had a dreadful start to the year losing eight of their first ten games after bringing in Russel Westrbrook in the offseason.
There was a lot of buzz around the nations capital coming into the campaign but it took the Wizards almost the entirety of the season to find their form and hit stride. A fantastic April in which they went 12-2 over a three week span propelled them up the standings, Bradley Beal, Russel Westbrook and the rest of the Wizards finished off the regular season winning four of their final six.
Celtics stuggled to finish regular season
The Boston Celtics have gone quietly about their business without making a lot of noise in the Eastern Conference. Their record speaks to what they have been this year. At 36-36 the Celtics were the depiction of mediocrity in this shortened NBA regular season. Despite losing four of their final six games they finish in seventh place and will host the Wizards in the one off game for the No. 7 seed.