Celtics Dominate Wizards Without Jaylen Brown
The Washington Wizards entered Thursday night hopeful they could hang with the Boston Celtics. For a half, they did just that. But once the Boston Celtics found their rhythm after the break, it quickly turned into a runaway. Boston erupted for 80 second-half points on its way to a dominant 146–101 victory inside Capital One Arena, handing Washington another discouraging loss in a season filled with growing pains.
The Wizards managed to keep things competitive early, trailing by only six after one quarter and cutting the deficit to 66–59 at halftime behind strong spurts from Kyshawn George and the veteran scorers CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton. Ultimately, though, a lack of defensive resistance and a high turnover count sealed the fate of Washington. Boston executed on a level the Wizards simply couldn’t match, and the second half turned into a showcase of the Celtics’ depth, pace, and discipline.
Derrick White Takes Over in Jaylen Brown’s Absence
With Jaylen Brown off due to illness, the Celtics needed a perimeter leader to step up and lead the offense. It was a call answered by Derrick White, who produced one of the best performances of his career. White scored 30 points while adding nine assists and seven rebounds in just 29 minutes of action, putting together a stat line unprecedented in Celtics history for a player under 30 minutes of action. His combination of efficiency, poise, and pace-setting instantly separated Boston from Washington in the third quarter.
White’s shooting was all the more demoralizing because he knocked down five threes while consistently exploiting poor Washington rotations. Whether pulling up in transition or attacking mismatches or orchestrating half-court sets, he dictated the game on both ends. Without Brown, Boston needed White’s ability to control tempo and create offense, and he delivered with complete command.
More than just the numbers themselves, though, it was White’s leadership that provided the spark Boston needed. His confident shot-making stretched the Wizards‘ defense thin and opened opportunities for others to thrive. Performances like this show why he has become one of the Celtics’ most indispensable two-way contributors, capable of elevating the team during short-handed stretches.
Supporting Cast Shines: Walsh, Pritchard, and More Step Up
While White stole the headlines, Boston’s depth was just as significant in the blowout. Rookie forward Jordan Walsh had the best game of his young career with 22 points on a perfect 8-for-8 shooting night. His energy on both ends disrupted the Wizards throughout the first half, and his confidence grew with every touch. Walsh’s emergence provides Boston with an additional sparkplug-one who is capable of igniting momentum off the bench.
Payton Pritchard added another strong performance, finishing with 20 points and eight assists. His playmaking kept Boston balanced for most of the game, particularly when Washington tried to cut the deficit. Big man Neemias Queta had 17 points and four blocks, protecting the paint with authority and giving the Celtics’ frontcourt a much-needed boost.
In total, seven Celtics reached double-digit scoring, underscoring just how deep and versatile this roster can be. On the other side, McCollum and Middleton combined for 38, but it wasn’t enough to stave off Boston’s overwhelming firepower. Turnovers, poor transition defense, and inconsistent execution ruined Washington, a pattern that has defined much of their season.
Final Thoughts
The blowout loss is another reminder of how far apart Washington is from the league’s top contenders. Playing two competitive quarters isn’t enough against a disciplined, deep, and well-coached team like Boston. For the Wizards to remain competitive, they need to learn to maintain energy, reduce turnovers, and create a more efficient offense.
The win is yet another encouraging stride for the Celtics during this stretch without their key stars. The standout performance of White and the rise of other young contributors like Walsh instills confidence in Boston as it waits for Jaylen Brown’s return and keeps tabs on Jayson Tatum’s health. If the supporting cast keeps up at this level, the Celtics will go into their schedule with some momentum-and perhaps a stronger identity than they had before.
