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0 On Friday, February 9th, 2024, the Boston Celtics won their 40th game of the NBA season with a 133-129 victory over the Washington Wizards. The Celtics’ victory was thanks in large part to Jayson Tatum’s impressive performance, as he scored 35 points and ignited a third-quarter rally. Kristaps Porzingis also played a crucial role in the win, scoring 34 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Jrue Holiday added 20 points to the Celtics’ winning effort.
The win was significant for the Celtics, as they reached 40 victories in the fastest time since the 2008-09 season. Tatum, who had 20 games this season with 30 or more points, was a key factor in the Celtics’ success. Brown also contributed with 18 points.
The Wizards fought hard throughout the game, with Deni Avdija and Corey Kispert both scoring 24 points and Bilal Coulibaly finishing with 21. Despite their efforts, the Wizards lost their fifth straight game.
The Wizards kept pace with the Celtics for most of the night, making 20 of 47 attempts from the 3-point line. They even led by as many as eight points in the third quarter and closed the gap to 131-127 in the final minute of the game. However, Boston’s ability to hit their free throws helped them seal the win.
While the Celtics have struggled with inconsistency at times this season, coach Joe Mazzulla dismissed concerns that his team is falling into bad habits. He stressed the importance of his team’s approach to games and their ability to regroup in the face of adversity.
The Celtics’ response to their halftime deficit was impressive, as they opened the third quarter with a 15-8 run and regained the lead with a 3-pointer by Porzingis. Tatum added 13 points in the quarter, including a driving one-handed dunk over Kyle Kuzma. The Celtics outscored the Wizards 36-16 in the third quarter, held them to 7-of-22 shooting from the field, and forced six turnovers to take a 100-87 lead into the final quarter of the game.
The Wizards started the game strong, with Poole scoring 19 points in the first half and the team scoring 26 fast-break points against the Celtics’ top-rated defense. The Celtics struggled from beyond the arc in the first half, shooting just 4 for 19, and missed seven of their 13 field goal attempts inside the paint. Despite their early struggles, the Celtics were able to rally in the second half and secure the win.
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