Wizards close gap on Celtics
Warriors romp past Utah for 2-0 lead
WASHINGTON — John Wall scored 24 points, Isaiah Thomas was held to 13 and the Washington Wizards jumped out to a hot start and rode it to a 116-89 victory over the Boston Celtics in a technical foul-filled Game 3 on Thursday night to cut their series deficit to 2-1.
The Wizards used a 22-0 firstquarter run to take a 34-12 lead as Thomas and the Celtics kept missing shots and turning the ball over. The game was already a blowout in the second when Washington’s Kelly Oubre Jr. was ejected for charging and knocking over Kelly Olynyk after the Boston big man was called for an illegal screen.
There were eight technical fouls and three ejections total.
“I guess just two teams that really don’t like each other,” Wall said. “We’re two teams that’s trying to compete and trying to win this series.”
Otto Porter and Bojan Bogdanovic scored 19 points apiece for Washington, which improved to 4-0 at home in the playoffs. Washington’s 119 first-quarter points is an NBA record for the first three games of a series.
Responding to what coach Scott Brooks deemed a “bad shooting night” in Game 2, Bradley Beal scored Washington’s first seven points and finished with 11.
Defensively, the Wizards found a solution to Thomas, who was held to 3-of-8 shooting. Thomas, who had some dental work adjusted at halftime, scored seven points at the free throw line.
“I guess that’s playoff basketball,” said Thomas, who scored 53 in an overtime win in Game 2. “We don’t like them and they don’t like us.”
The teams built up quite the hatred during four regularseason meetings, and while hard fouls were part of the first two games in Boston it was nothing like Game 3. Double
technicals to Ian Mahinmi and Jonas Jerebko early gave way to Oubre’s outburst as he leapt up from the floor after an illegal screen from Olynyk and bowled over the Boston big man as he was talking to an official.
“We can’t respond that way,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. “When you keep getting hit in the head, you might respond that way and I think that’s what he did. I’m not saying that that was the right thing to do.”
Oubre could face a suspension for his outburst. But he wasn’t alone.
Pushing and shoving happened throughout, leading to a barrage of technical fouls in the fourth quarter. Stevens and Brooks each picked up technical fouls well after the outcome had been decided.
It didn’t help that things got out of hand early. After starting 16-0 in Game 1 and 16-8 in Game 2 and coughing up big leads, the Wizards extended this one thanks in part to the Celtics shooting 35.1 percent from the floor.
“The Wizards have been a great starting team all year,” Stevens said before the game. “They’ve been a great home team all year.”
TIP-INS: Celtics: Guard Avery Bradley scored seven points after reporting soreness Wednesday from a hip pointer in Game 2. … Jae Crowder has scored 10-plus points in a playoff career-high four consecutive games. He finished with 14. … Gerald Green started in place of Amir Johnson after not playing in Game 2 and scored eight points.
Wizards: Bogdanovic made four of the seven 3-pointers he attempted, finishing with 19 points. … C Marcin Gortat had 13 points and 16 rebounds. … Seated courtside, former player Caron Butler was treated to a highlight montage on the scoreboards
and an ovation from the sellout crowd. WARRIORS 115, JAZZ 105:
In Oakland, Calif., Draymond Green showed Quin Snyder his hot hand and range up close, knocking down five 3-pointers and scoring 21 points before a brief knee scare late in Golden State’s wire-to-wire victory over Utah for a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series.
Kevin Durant added 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, and Stephen Curry had 23 points, seven assists and played smothering defense as Golden State stayed unblemished through six playoff games.
Gordon Hayward overcame a poor Game 1 and slow start in this one to score 33 points, and Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 16 rebounds before fouling out for a Jazz team missing injured point guard George Hill. He was ruled out earlier in the day because of a sore left big toe.
The next two games are set for Salt Lake City, with Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on Monday.