Jayson Tatum scored 26 of his game-high 36 points in the second half, following up his career night in LA with a career-high eight 3-pointers to help the Celtics comfortably win with a 118-106 victory against an overmatched Blazers squad. With both teams without their All-Star point guards due to injuries, Tatum was easily the best player on the floor, knocking down 14-of-22 from the field and an absurd 8-of-12 from long distance, while adding five rebounds and two blocks in 34 minutes. Six players scored in double figures for Boston in all including 24 points from Jaylen Brown and 13 points from Brad Wanamaker off the bench in a nice redemption performance after a stinker in LA on Sunday. CJ McCollum had a game-high 28 points and 10 assists for the hosts but the Blazers had no answer for Tatum and the Celtics offense all night in the midst of a 48 percent shooting performance (19-of-39) from 3-point ra
WHO: Celtics (39-17) vs. Blazers (27-31)
WHEN: 10:00 p.m.
WHERE: Rose Garden
RADIO: 98.5 The Sports Hub
TV: NBC Sports Boston
Celtics
PG: Marcus Smart
SG: Jayson Tatum
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Gordon Hayward
C: Daniel Theis
Blazers
G: CJ McCollum
G: Gary Trent Jr.
F: Trevor Ariza
F: Carmelo Anthony
C: Hassan Whiteside
Pregame Notes
- Kemba Walker will miss his third straight game as he continues to recover from a sore left knee that has hobbled him all year long. “It’s kind of a different situation and I just have to be smart. You just have to be,” Walker told reporters in Portland. “For sure if it was up to me I would definitely go out there and play, but at this point I just don’t want to take a step backwards if I was to go out there. So just being cautious.”
- Robert Williams continues to practice with the C's as he inches closer to a potential return next week. "He looks fine by my non-medical eyes," Brad Stevens said. "But it’s all about the scan at the end of the week. If ramping him up has provided no increase in issues, then he’s ready to go. If the scan doesn’t look good we’re back to square one.”
- The Blazers remain without All-Star guard Damian Lillard who is recovering from a strained groin suffered before the All-Star Break. They are 1-1 without him since the break as they continue their fight to get into playoff position in the Western Conference.
- Jaylen Brown was one of several Celtics that attended the Kobe Bryant memorial on Monday before traveling to Portland with the team. “I think he’ll continue to be celebrated, and he won’t be forgotten,” Brown told reporters at shootaround this morning. “It makes you think about how you want to be remembered when you’re gone. Definitely a blessing to be able to experience that, especially with my teammates, and big prayers up to Kobe and his family.”