BOSTON — The Boston Celtics ran at a pace even the up-tempo Washington Wizards couldn’t match.
Jared Sullinger scored 21 points, Isaiah Thomas had 16 points and eight assists and the Celtics ended a three-game losing streak by beating the Wizards, 118-98, on Friday night.
“Our pace was amazing. That’s the pace we want to play,” Thomas said. “We were running up and down the floor. We got some stops and we got out and ran. I think that’s when we’re at our best.”
Jae Crowder had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five steals as the Celtics pestered the Wizards into 24 turnovers. Kelly Olynyk added 19 points and Evan Turner scored 16 as the Celtics won for the first time since opening night with a dominant performance at home.
“It was nice to see the ball go in the net,” Boston coach Brad Stevens said. “Multiple guys played well and shot well, and a couple of those guys we need to score for us to be a good team.”
The Celtics couldn’t have been much better. Boston outscored Washington, 40-25, in the opening period and shot 61 percent in the first half while pulling away to a 23-point lead at halftime.
Boston also kept Washington’s backcourt duo of Bradley Beal and John Wall from getting the Wizards’ offense into much of a rhythm. Beal led Washington with 24 points and Wall, who fell into foul trouble early, finished with 13 points and eight assists. Wall also had eight turnovers, something that plagued the Wizards throughout the game.
“We just don’t have the commitment to defend and play the way that we have to play,” coach Randy Wittman said. “We just let Boston do whatever they wanted. They pushed us. They hit us.”
Wittman said the Wizards wilted against and Boston never let up physically.
The Celtics closed the first quarter on a 24-9 run and Washington never recovered.
Boston led, 100-74, after the third quarter, opening the period by hitting its first six 3-pointers and quickly snuffing any attempts by the Wizards to make a significant run.
“They took our momentum away,” Wall said. “They did a great job of using their hands and pushing the pace. We had a lot of turnovers and we couldn’t make shots.”
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