The Boston Celtics defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 129-116. Jayson Tatum led the way with 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. Sam Hauser followed with 24 points on eight three-pointers. The Celtics were missing three starters as Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Xavier Tillman were out. The Trail Blazers were without Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton, and Robert Williams III. Both teams entered on four-game winning streaks. The Boston Celtics improved to 52-19 with the win. Portland dropped to 32-40.
The Boston Celtics Hot Start
The Boston Celtics defeated the Trail Blazers in their last meeting. Payton Pritchard starred in that game and made an impact in this one. This was a rare starting lineup appearance from him, and he knocked down an early three-pointer but also picked up three quick fouls. With multiple starters out, other players got the chance to shine. Pritchard, Hauser, Derrick White, and Baylor Scheierman made numerous threes. Tatum was the center of it all, scoring and distributing. Portland kept it close, as Toumani Camara was on fire. He had 12 first-quarter points. Still, at the end of the quarter, the Boston Celtics led 34-24.
Deni Avdija began to roll in the second quarter, helping the Trailblazers trim the deficit. He got to the basket against smaller guards and heated up from beyond the arc. They went on a 12-0 run to tie the game at 40. The Boston Celtics offense struggled with Tatum subbed out and Portland took full advantage. Al Horford made a pair of three-pointers to momentarily stop the bleeding. Hauser followed it with his fourth three. Boston answered with a 9-0 run. Anfernee Simons responded with 8 quick points. However, a White three and a Tatum assist to Horford extended the Celtics lead. At halftime, the Boston Celtics led 64-51.
It was a fun first half for the Boston Celtics. With multiple starters out, other players got more chances to shine. Hauser led the Celtics with 15 points, shooting a hot 5-of-6 from three. White had 13 points and Horford had 9. Tatum only had 6 points, but he also had 5 assists. He was influencing the offense even when shots weren’t falling, evident by Portland’s run when he wasn’t on the floor. Camara led the Trail Blazers with 12 points. Simons had 11 and Avdija had 10. They were playing tough and shooting well, but some timely Boston baskets gave them a lead when the game was relatively close.
The Celtics Win
Hauser nailed another three to start the third quarter, and a couple of Tatum buckets kept the Boston Celtics ahead. He got a tip-in putback and converted a four-point play. Shaedon Sharpe began to roll for Portland, using his athleticism to make acrobatic layups while also hitting contested shots. The Trail Blazers stayed active and began to trim the deficit once again. Avdija and Sharpe were scoring, and when it looked like Boston would blow the game open, they suddenly made it close again on a 13-3 run. It was a high-scoring quarter, and through three, the Boston Celtics held a 102-90 lead. Tatum scored 18 points in the quarter.
In the fourth quarter, White and Pritchard got things going for the Celtics. Luke Kornet also made a few tough finishes and putbacks. This kept the Boston Celtics ahead in the non-Tatum minutes, but Portland hung around. Sharpe and Scoot Henderson continued to make shots, preventing Boston from pulling away. Hauser made his eighth three to put the Celtics up by 16 with five minutes to go. Again, the Trail Blazers kept fighting, but a Tatum fadeaway sealed the game. The Boston Celtics won 129-116.
Final Thoughts
The Boston Celtics improved to 52-19 with the victory. This was their fifth win in a row. Tatum led with 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. Hauser scored 24 points on eight three-pointers. In a game with three starters out, every Celtics starter scored 14 or more points. Portland fell to 32-40 with the loss. Sharpe had 23 points, Camara had 19, and Avdija had 17. They fought hard, but it was not enough. The Celtics won the season series 2-0.
