Jayson Tatum recorded 20 points and 14 rebounds in 32 minutes as the Boston Celtics overcame the Washington Wizards 111-100 on Saturday at TD Garden.
Neemias Queta added 24 points and 10 boards, helping Boston withstand a late Washington surge and hand the Wizards their 11th consecutive loss.
Jaylen Brown contributed 16 points, and the Celtics ended a two-game skid while extending their Eastern Conference postseason lead to 44-23.
Boston built a 30-point advantage in the third quarter, but coach Joe Mazzulla kept Tatum on the floor to reach a season-high in minutes since his return from Achilles tendon surgery.
Tristan Vukcevic led Washington with 22 points, while the Wizards trimmed the deficit to 12 in the fourth quarter before Boston closed the game with a Tatum layup and a Sam Hauser three-pointer.
Queta dominated early in the paint, scoring eight of Boston’s first 10 points, and finished the first half with 22. Luka Garza added six quick points and finished with 15 in just 15 minutes.
Boston exploited Washington’s paint weakness, finishing with a 54-30 advantage inside, while Alex Sarr did not score until late in the second quarter.
The Celtics shot 44% overall and 26% from three-point range, hitting 17 of 19 free throws, while the Wizards managed 44% from the field and 38% from three.
Boston will host Phoenix on Monday, and Washington hosts Golden State on the same night.
