Celtics play-by-play announcer Drew Carter coined a new phrase during Boston’s blowout win over the Wizards: ‘Walshington D.C.’ Jordan Walsh set a new career high with 22 points and he did not miss a shot. Meanwhile, Derrick White scored a season-high 30 points to go along with 9 assists and 7 rebounds as neither player played in the 4th quarter of the Celtics 146-101 obliteration of the Wizards.
Jaylen Brown missed this game due to an illness for the Celtics so Boston started Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh and Neemias Queta. The Wizards were without Bilal Coulibaly, the 6th pick in the draft Tre Johnson, Corey Kispert and Alex Sarr. As a result, Washington started C.J. McCollum, Jamir Watkins, Khris Middleton, Kyshawn George and Marvin Bagley.
The Celtics got off to a hot start, leading 11-4 with 4 Celtics scoring in that period of time. The Wizards hung around for the quarter however and the Celtics never put real any real distance between themselves and Washington.
Derrick White hit his 1,000 career three pointer in the period.
A White buzzer beat put the Celtics up six at the end of the first quarter, 32-26. He led the team in scoring with 12 points while Neemias Queta had 8 points.
Jordan Walsh made his impact known early in the second quarter, scoring 6 points in 2 minutes along with a block. He has become a real guy for the Celtics which is not a twist I expected this season, but it is a very welcomed twist.
Washington, again, hung around. The Celtics would make a run to stretch the lead but the Wizards would cut right back into the lead to stay in the fight.
The Celtics led Washington 66-59 after the first half. White led the team in scoring with 18 points. Payton Pritchard had 13 points and Jordan Walsh had a career high 15 points, not a career high in a half, a career high in any game, which he set in the Celtics win on Sunday in Cleveland with 14. He had 13 points in the 2nd quarter alone.
The seal began to break for the Celtics over the first 6 minutes of the third quarter. They outscored Washington 23-11 over the first 5:53 of the third quarter and took a 19 point lead.
It was capped off by a massive Jordan Walsh dunk to give him 20 points.
The Celtics continued their domination throughout the quarter. They led the Wizards 109-86 at the end of 3. White led the team with 30 points while Walsh had 22 points.
This Jordan Walsh season is insane. I had written him off as a miss by Brad Stevens and was okay with it. It is hard to find good players with the 37th pick. However, he is everywhere now and is a good player who seems to be a part of the Celtics future, his defense, offensive rebounding and rolling to the rim have been huge helps to the Celtics this season. I have no idea where this is coming from but I am a fan of it.
The Celtics smoked the shorthanded Wizards 146-101 with 7 Celtics in double figures. Boston shot 55% from the field and 43% from three while Washington shot 42% from the field and 32% from three. The Celtics next game is Friday night at TD Garden against the Lakers at 7 pm EST.
