Even without Jaylen Brown in the lineup, the Boston Celtics rolled on Thursday night against the Washington Wizards in what could be viewed as a breakout game for Derrick White. Seven players scored in double figures as Boston picked up their 10th consecutive win over Washington, their second of this season, both have which come in blowout fashion.
Boston has now won three straight games and five of their last six, as they will prepare for a quick turnaround on Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. Washington fell to 3-18 on the season and continues to go through their rebuilding process, although they were carried by veteran C.J. McCollum in the loss.
Here’s a quick recap of the Celtics blowout victory over the Wizards on Thursday night:
Final score: Boston Celtics 146, Washington Wizards 101
Keys to the game:
Balanced scoring: Seven players scored in double figured in this game, four of which were starters. The bench saw contributions from Anfernee Simons, Josh Minott, and Hugo Gonzalez, as everyone played a role in carrying the team to a win while Jaylen Brown was out. Over their past few seasons, Boston had thrived off not only their star-studded starting lineup by having reliable bench play, and that was the biggest key to the victory on Thursday.
Derrick White’s breakout: Like a true veteran leader, Derrick White has been open about his struggles to start the season, but he came alive all-around against Washington. It was not just getting points on the board for White, as he also chipped in with 9 assists and 7 rebounds, giving him his best game of the year. The next step for White this season will be to build off his performance on Thursday, especially when Brown returns to the lineup.
Jordan Walsh’s career night: Having learned his place in the starting lineup recently, Jordan Walsh continued his hot run as a starter. Walsh reached a career high with 22 points in the game, adding 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and one block. Having players like Walsh grow into their game will only help improve this team’s chances to be a playoff contender later in the season.
Highlight of the game: Jordan Walsh gets it done at both ends of the court
What’s next: vs. Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, December 5, 7:00PM ET on Amazon Prime
The NBA’s most historic rivalry will see their first meeting of the 2025 season with both teams having played on Thursday. Luka Doncic missed the game in their win over the Toronto Raptors for personal reasons, and it’ll be interesting to see how both teams handle their lineups in the primetime spotlight on Friday. Los Angeles has been carried not only by Doncic but also Austin Reaves, who had 44 points, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds in the win over Toronto.
