MANILA – Boston Celtics rode on the exploits of Jayson Tatum to score a 118-100 win over Washington Wizards in the 2020-2021 National Basketball Association season play-in tournament on Tuesday at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
Tatum waxed hot in the second half to finish with 50 points along with eight rebounds and four assists, Kemba Walker fired 29 markers, while Tristan Thompson had a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Celtics.
The victory pushed the Celtics to clinch the no. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference and will face no. 2 seed Brooklyn Nets in the best-of-seven first-round playoffs this weekend.
Down by eight points in the second quarter, the Celtics started its uprising in the third period on three-point hits by Walker and inside conversions by Tatum and Thompson for a 90-80 advantage.
The Wizards were still hanging around at 84-91 early in the fourth, but Tatum came up with consecutive baskets as the Celtics built its largest lead at 116-94 on a triple by Walker.
Bradley Beal top-scored with 23 points, while Russell Westbrook added a double-double of 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Wizards, which still have a shot at playoffs and will face Indiana Pacers on Thursday (Friday in the Philippines).
The Pacers, meanwhile, advanced the battle for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoffs seat following a 144-117 beating of the Charlotte Hornets.
The Pacers set the tone early with outside conversions from Doug McDermott for a 40-24 lead. It grew further in the second after hits by Justin Holiday and Malcolm Brogdon.
Indiana continued its rampage in the second half with baskets from Domantas Sabonis and Oshae Brissett as the lead stretched to 139-100 on a triple by Kelan Martin late in the fourth.
Brissett dropped 23 points, McDermott added 21 markers, while Sabonis had a triple-double with 21 rebounds, 14 points, and nine assists for the Pacers.
BOX SCORE:
BOSTON 118 – Tatum 50, Walker 29, Thompson 12, Fournier 8, Smart 7, R. Williams 4, Langford 3, Nesmith 3, Edwards 2, Ojeleye 0, Kornet 0, G. Williams 0, Waters 0, Pritchard 0.
WASHINGTON 100 – Beal 23, Westbrook 20, Smith 17, Gafford 12, Hachimura 8, Len 5, Lopez 5, Bertans 4, Matthews 3, Hutchison 2, Gill 2, Neto 0, Winston 0.
QUARTERSCORES:
27-21, 52-54, 90-80, 118-100./PN
