Jaylen Brown delivered a standout performance with 31 points as the Boston Celtics secured a 108-96 victory over the Washington Wizards in an NBA Cup game Friday night.
Boston improved to 13-3 on the season and 2-1 in East Group C, while Washington dropped to 2-12, extending their losing streak to 10 games.
Despite an off night from Jayson Tatum, who scored 16 points but missed all 10 of his three-point attempts, the Celtics relied on their depth and defense to outlast the struggling Wizards.
He added nine rebounds and eight assists, contributing in other areas despite his shooting struggles.
Jordan Poole led the Wizards with 23 points, while Kyle Kuzma added 21 in a losing effort. Washington outscored Boston 52-30 in the paint but failed to capitalize on Boston’s subpar three-point shooting.
The Celtics hit just 11 of 46 attempts from beyond the arc, while the Wizards went 7 of 28.
Boston played without big men Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis due to illness and injury, respectively.
Luke Kornet stepped up in their absence, contributing six points and six rebounds while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the field.
The Wizards had a chance to narrow the gap late in the fourth quarter but missed key opportunities.
Boston’s bench also made a significant impact, with Sam Hauser scoring 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including three three-pointers. Payton Pritchard added nine points and four assists, providing a spark in crucial moments.
For the Wizards, Malcolm Brogdon chipped in 18 points and 10 rebounds, but the team’s 19 turnovers proved costly. Boston turned those miscues into 22 points, maintaining control throughout the final minutes.
