Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Wizards: Boston Fueled by Stingy Defense, Jayson Tatum's 50-Piece
After two-straight losses, Jayson Tatum and the Celtics bounced back in a big way, earning a 116-87 victory over the Wizards. The All-Star wing led the way with a 51-point performance, including making a career-high nine threes.
Boston's stifling defense was also at the root of the win, as was the constant player and ball movement that consistently put the Celtics in a position to capitalize on the stops they were getting.
Here's a further examination of those topics and more that stood out from Boston's win over Washington, a victory that at 24-24 gets them back to .500 and moves them up to ninth in the East.
Jayson Tatum's 50-Piece
Jayson Tatum walked into Capital One Arena wearing a t-shirt that read: "believe in yourself."
Tatum then stepped onto the court and ended his drought of 20-straight misses from beyond the arc in an emphatic fashion. The All-Star wing was in rhythm from the opening tip, going 3/3 in the first quarter and 5/6 from the field to register 13 points in the opening frame. He also distributed a couple of dimes, including this one.
At halftime, Tatum had 31 points. He was 11/14 from the field, 6/7 from three, had seven rebounds, three assists, and a +20 plus-minus rating. It's the 13th time he's had at least 25 points in a half. He was the best player on the floor, and it wasn't close.
The All-Star wing proceeded to pour in 30 points in the second half. Tatum finished with 51 points on 18/28 shooting (64.3 percent), including 9/14 (also 64.3 percent) from beyond the arc, setting a new career-high in made threes.
He also went 6/6 at the free-throw line, grabbed ten rebounds, dished out seven assists, only committed one turnover and one foul, and earned a +31 plus-minus rating.
It was as if Marcus Smart Never Left
After missing the Celtics' last six games due to a thigh bruise that knocked him out of last Monday's win over the Pacers, then entering health and safety protocols, for the most part, Marcus Smart was sharp in his return.
The All-Defensive talent was a central figure in Boston holding the Wizards to 87 points on their home floor -- more on that later -- and, at the other end, the Celtics' floor general effectively orchestrated the offense. Smart finished with 11 points, six assists, four rebounds, four steals, and he earned a game-high plus-minus rating of +36. He had four turnovers and four fouls, but those were the only signs of rust.
After the game, Ime Udoka said the following about Smart's return.
"He's been what he's been all year. He settles us down at times, knows when a guy's going, and who to get some shots for, and just obviously, the defensive presence, toughness, and mentality he brings to the team, that's invaluable."
Celtics' Stingy Team Defense
The Celtics held the Wizards to 87 points, playing suffocating defense that at times had a noticeable impact on Washington's effort level.
The Wizards shot an appalling 35.5 percent from the field, including 8/34 (23.5 percent) from beyond the arc. Some of that was unfortunate luck on clean looks that didn't go down, but it had far more to do with Boston smothering them defensively.
Stops and Ball Movement Lead to Celtics' Three-Point Barrage
The Celtics' stingy defense helped them play with pace offensively and worry less about attempting to attack an already-set defense.
From there, consistent player and ball movement got everyone involved, which kept Washington's defense in rotation and Boston's offense in rhythm. In the first half, the Celtics scored 60 points, becoming the first team this season to do so. For the game, they generated 116 points while shooting 19/39 (48.7 percent) from three and assisting on 26 of 40 made field goals.
Up Next
The Celtics host the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night. The game tips off at 7:30 EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.
Further Reading
What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss vs. Trail Blazers: Offense Turns Cold in Final Frame
Celtics Reportedly Exploring Trading Al Horford
Report Links Celtics to Jerami Grant
Should Jaylen Brown be the Celtics' Closer?
