Oct. 25, 2024 09:08 AM EST

Tatum, Brown Help Celtics Rout Wizards 122-102 In First Road Game

By IAN NICHOLAS QUILLEN
Associated Press
Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) attempts to shoot against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, top left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell) John McDonnell, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) attempts to shoot against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, top left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) gains control of the ball against Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma watches his shot during warmups before an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) watches his 3-point basket against Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma, right, is fouled by Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 25 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes, and the Boston Celtics cruised to a 122-102 victory over the Washington Wizards on Thursday night.

Jaylen Brown scored 27 points in the Celtics' first road game of the season. Derrick White had 19 and Payton Pritchard added 15 as the defending NBA champions extended their winning streak against Washington to five games.

Jordan Poole scored 20 of his 26 points before halftime in the rebuilding Wizards' season opener, and Jonas Valanciunas added 18 in his Washington debut.

After taking their first double-digit lead just before halftime, the Celtics outscored the Wizards 34-19 in the third quarter put the game out of reach.

Takeaways

Celtics: Two games into its title defense, Boston has yet to be seriously pushed in a pair of wins. Tatum didn't play in the fourth quarter Thursday. Brown and White were the last starters to depart with 8:04 left.

Wizards: With rookies Alex Sarr and Bub Carrington in an extremely young starting lineup, the first half was mostly an encouraging performance. But Washington's third-quarter struggles echoed a recurring problem from last season. Carrington's night ended with a potential injury following an awkward fourth-quarter fall.

Key moment

Boston closed the first half on a 10-1 run to build its largest lead to that point. Tatum hit a pair of 3-pointers, one from each wing, then fed Brown on the second of back-to-back running layups to stake Boston to a 64-54 advantage.

Key stat

Washington’s starting lineup had an average age of 22.72 years old. According to Elias Sports Bureau, that is the youngest in the NBA so far this season, and the franchise's youngest since the league began tracking starters in 1970.

Up next

Both play again Saturday, with Boston traveling to Detroit and the Wizards hosting Cleveland.

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