BSJ Game Report: Celtics 146, Wizards 101 - White, Walsh shine as C's get NBA's largest win this season

Everything you need to know about the Celtics' blowout of the Wizards, with BSJ insight and analysis.

IN A NUTSHELL

Derrick White’s 12 points and Hugo Gonzalez’s energy helped Boston take a six-point first-quarter lead. Jordan Walsh was incredible again, helping Boston take a 17-point lead, but they got sloppy, and that slipped to seven at halftime. They exploded for 43 in the third to push it to 23 and cruised from there, putting up the biggest margin of victory in the NBA this season with their 146-101 win. 

Box Score

HEADLINES

- Easy-Peasy: This was a pretty standard blowout of a bad team. There were a few moments where they relaxed and the Wizards made runs, but they got their heads on straight at halftime and mauled them in the second half. 

- Derrick White gets right: I knew this was going to be a get-right game for someone, and White was the guy. He shot 57% from the field, 41.7% from 3, and made it look really easy. 

- Jordan Walsh keeps it rolling: He scored 22 points on eight shots. He was almost perfect on the night going 8-8 from the field and 5-6 from the free throw line. He was all over the place again, continuing his impressive run. 

TURNING POINT

Walsh triggered a run that put Boston up 17 halfway through the second quarter. They did allow a run that cut it to seven, but I never thought the Wizards had a chance. Honestly, I never thought they had a chance from the beginning. 

But if you’re a stickler for when the game was truly blown open, Boston did go on a big run out of halftime. In fact, Boston outscored Washington 80-42 in the second half.

THINGS I LIKED

- Derrick White: He played less than 29 minutes and managed to drop a 30/7/9 gem on 57/42/100 splits (okay, the 100 was 1-1 from the free throw line, but I’m counting it). He’s looking a little more like himself over the past few games, but his shooting is still a bit spotty. It would be great to see him build on this. He also hit his 1,000th career 3-pointer tonight.

He also made this incredible pass. 

- Jordan Walsh: His second quarter was just amazing. I honestly can’t believe the turnaround he’s made this season. He looks like one of the best defenders in the league right now. His footwork, the hand speed to poke the ball free, and the drive to get some of the blocked shots has been amazing. 

- Payton Pritchard: He didn’t shoot great, but he had stretches where he carried the scoring. He finished with 20/6/8.  

- Josh Minott: Another 2-5 night from 3, so he’s still rolling from deep. 

- Hugo Gonzalez: I love his instincts. He finished with a very nice 14 points and five rebounds, but the way he scored some of his points showed a maturity beyond his 19 years. His chase-down block early in the game was spectacular, and it shows his drive and hustle. He is super-competitive and it comes through in his game.

- Neemias Queta: He is a much better player, not only year-over-year, but month-over-month. He’s learning to play quicker and it’s allowing him to make plays he didn’t make earlier in the season. He had 17 points, four rebounds, and four blocked shots. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

- Anfernee Simons: He got hot in the fourth quarter, putting up 12 points on 4-7 shooting from 3. He also tacked on a couple of steals in the fourth, but the Celtics were already dominating by then. He was 0-4 over the first three quarters. 

He is clearly capable of heating up in an instant, but he needs to get going earlier in these situations. 

HIGHLIGHTS

ONE KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- The Raptors did Boston a big favor. 

Not only was Luka Dončić in Slovenia for the birth of his second baby, but the Raptors also pushed the Lakers to the buzzer tonight, forcing LeBron James to play 36 minutes. 

So not only did Jaylen Brown get the night off tonight against Washington, the Celtics' regulars all played less than 30 minutes (except for Pritchard, who played 32) and got to rest for most, if not all, of the fourth quarter. There's no official stance on LeBron playing back-to-backs, but his agent has said that he would prefer LeBron did not. 

Which means we very well could see ‘Dončić (OUT-personal reasons)’ and ‘James (OUT-back)’ on the injury report in the morning. 

That doesn’t mean the Lakers won’t be dangerous on the back-to-back. Austin Reeves is still a problem, and they’ll certainly play faster with their two stars out, but it certainly is nice that Toronto was able to push the Lakers to the brink and make tomorrow night’s game a little easier. 

Next Up: The Celtics return home to host the Lakers tomorrow night in Boston.