Wizards turn fast start into 118-93 win
WASHINGTON -- Otto Porter had a career-high 34 points and 14 rebounds as the Washington Wizards turned a 26-point lead in the first quarter into a 118-93 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
John Wall scored 19 points for the Wizards (2-5), who led 34-8 after the first quarter. Washington outrebounded Boston 54-31, shot 50 percent from the field and hit 10 3-pointers in their most impressive start-to-finish performance of the season. Trey Burke contributed 18 points.
The Celtics (3-4) dropped their third in a row. Isaiah Thomas scored 23 points, Avery Bradley 21 and Marcus Smart 20.
Boston shot 43.2 percent from the field but never fully recovered after starting 4 of 22 (18.2 percent) in the first quarter.
Wall received a flagrant-2 foul with 5:24 remaining for an aggressive foul on Smart, leading to his second ejection in as many games.
The three-time All-Star was fined $25,000 for "inappropriate interaction with a game official and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection," the NBA announced Wednesday.
Wall received his second technical foul 33.3 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the Wizards' 114-106 loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday.
Bradley Beal exited in the third quarter with right hamstring tightness after slipping. He eventually limped to the locker room and did not return. Beal, who signed a five-year, $128 million contract this offseason, scored three points in 11 minutes.
Defensive woes led to back-to-back losses at Cleveland and against Denver as Boston allowed 128 and 123 points, respectively. That version showed up early as Washington led 34-8 after the first quarter.
Al Horford (concussion) and Jae Crowder (left ankle sprain) did not play for Boston.
The Celtics swept the series 4-0 last season.
Porter stuffed the stat sheet and sizzled from the start. The small forward sank 5 of 5 shots from the field with three 3-pointers in the first quarter as he outscored the Celtics with 13 points.
Porter finished 14 of 19 overall with four assists, three steals, three blocks and seven offensive rebounds.
Thomas scored all 13 of his first-half points in the second quarter as the Celtics closed with an 18-8 run to enter halftime down 58-43, but they got no closer.
NOTES: Celtics C Al Horford (concussion) showed signs of improvement on Tuesday, coach Brad Stevens said, but his timeline remains uncertain. Horford, who last played Oct. 29, missed his fourth straight game Wednesday. ... The Wizards remain committed to not playing John Wall on both ends of back-to-back game scenarios because of the point guard's two offseason knee surgeries. Coach Scott Brooks did not reveal if Wall sits Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers or Saturday at the Chicago Bulls. ...Celtics F Kelly Olynyk made his season debut after the opening six games with a right shoulder injury. ... Boston hosts the New York Knicks on Friday.