The Boston Celtics might not have had their Most Valuable Player candidate on the court with Jayson Tatum taking the night off to nurse a sprained ankle, but it seemed to matter little for the Washington Wizards, even as they made enough of a run in the game’s fourth quarter to force the starters back into the game.
The Celtics won 121-130, led by Jaylen Brown’s 36 points and 5 rebounds, the game’s top scorer for both ball clubs. Six other Boston players scored in double figures in the absence of Tatum, including Malcolm Brogdon (17 points, 6 boards), Derrick White (15 points), Al Horford (14 points), Marcus Smart (14 points, 7 assists), Sam Hauser (14 points, 5 rebounds), and Luke Kornet (12 points).
