Celtics Stage Game 2 Comeback to Topple Wizards In OT, 129-119

The Boston Celtics defeated the Washington Wizards in overtime, 129-119, at TD
Garden on Tuesday evening in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinal playoff
series. The Celtics lead the series, 2-0. The Wizards (0-2) unsurprisingly came
out with a sense of urgency to open the contest, determined to build another
early lead and hang on to it this time around. They succeeded in blindsiding the
Celtics (2-0) over the first 12 minutes, scoring 42 points. However, Boston
began the long road back in the second, outscoring the visitors by a 35-25
margin. After a see-saw third quarter that saw Washington’s lead expand and
contract, Isaiah Thomas put the Celtics offense on his shoulders, scoring a
jaw-dropping 22 points in the fourth period. The Wizards still had a shot at
victory in regulation until a Bradley Beal missile couldn’t find the net in the
closing seconds, and Thomas and teammates took over in an overtime period that
saw key frontcourt pieces Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat foul out for the
visitors. John Wall was highly aggressive throughout the game and even shook off
an early, scary fall in which he banged up his left wrist to tally 40 points, 13
assists, three rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Morris, playing on a
gimpy ankle, was next with 16 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals
and one block. Gortat produced a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double that also
included three assists, two blocks and one steal. Beal matched Gortat’s scoring
total and added five rebounds, four assists and a steal. However, he labored
under the pressure of Avery Bradley’s defense, shooting just 4-for-15 from the
field, including 1-for-9 from behind the arc. Otto Porter, Jr. totaled 13
points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Kelly Oubre, Jr. saw 28
minutes off the bench and supplied 12 points and seven boards, while Jason Smith
poured in 10 points and added one rebound, one assist and a pair of blocks.
Thomas produced a game-high 53 points on 33 shot attempts, which he supplemented
with four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Al Horford was a distant
second with a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double that also featured three
assists, two blocks and one steal. Jae Crowder and Bradley provided matching
14-point efforts, with the former adding seven rebounds, four assists, two
blocks and one steal, and the latter registering four rebounds, one assist,
three steals and one block. Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart both played key roles
off the bench, with the former hitting a clutch tying three-pointer with 1:38
remaining and posting 12 points, sjx rebounds, four assists and one steal and
the latter playing some stellar defense while compiling nine points, five
assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block. The two teams now head to the
Nation’s Capital, where Game 3 will unfold on Thursday night at Verizon Center.