Rapid Recap is designed for the busiest of Celtics fans. Whether you can’t stay awake to read 10 paragraphs or your hangover is just too much, Rapid Recap tells the timeline of the game in only a minute or two.
If you like three-point shots, this was your type of game. The Celtics made 19 of 39 from behind the arc while cruising to a 118-106 win at Portland. They’re now 2-1 on this western trip and 40-17 for the season.
Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 36 points (26 in the second half) on 14 of 22 shooting, including a new career high in threes. Jaylen Brown add 24 points and a total of six Celtics were in double figures. CJ McCollum led the Trail Blazers with 28.
Kemba Walker (knee soreness) sat out again for Boston, but ditto Damian Lillard (groin strain) for Portland.
The Celtics will be missing one of their starters for the 39th time in 57 games tonight, and are somehow going for win number 40 on the season
— Max (@lissmx14) February 25, 2020
Celts quickly fell behind 7-0.
#celtics off to slow start but they’ll weather this storm. May be time out time for brad.
— Cedric Maxwell (@cedricmaxwell81) February 26, 2020
(Narrator: Brad did not call timeout.)
There was an unnecessary video review, which unearthed this nugget:
They play the Stranger Things theme music during official reviews and it kind of works
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) February 26, 2020
Tatum got hot.
throwdown from Tatum https://t.co/JOMs4JMkP1
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 26, 2020
And Marcus Smart nailed a trio of triples, until his heat check.
I was in the midst of tweeting "Smart heat check alert" and he launched an airball https://t.co/tpWUfqLxNo
— John Karalis 🇬🇷 🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) February 26, 2020
After 12 minutes, the Celts had the lead.
End of 1Q: Celtics 28, Trail Blazers 24
Smart's got nine on three 3s, Tatum has eight and Hayward has six. No points from the bench, but that hasn't been a problem yet tonight.
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) February 26, 2020
Celtics shoot 58 percent from 3-point range (7-of-12) in first quarter.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) February 26, 2020
In the second, Jaylen joined the 3-party. JB scored 12 in the quarter.
Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown are a combined 7-of-11 from deep. They have 25 of Boston's 40 points.
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) February 26, 2020
The Celtics, led by seven straight points from Jaylen Brown, just scored 10 of the game's last 12 points to pull ahead 43-33.
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) February 26, 2020
Portland drew within 3, but Boston answered with a 7-0 run
🚂full speed ahead https://t.co/lQ5nBkjXhE
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 26, 2020
Hassan Whiteside is on Portland.
Hassan Whiteside talking shit after an easy block and then immediately giving up the easy offensive rebound to Gordon Hayward sums him up perfectly pic.twitter.com/ZYI5qoPuil
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) February 26, 2020
So is Carmelo Anthony.
Melo never crossed half court. Totally cherry picking. Oh wait… it’s Melo. Lol
— Cedric Maxwell (@cedricmaxwell81) February 26, 2020
HALF: Celtics 56, Trail Blazers 48
C's are cookin from long range, where they've made 11 of their 22 attempts. Brown leads all scorers with 15 points, and he's also tied for the team high in assists with two. Boston is getting quality looks with minimal ball movement.
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) February 26, 2020
Celtics up 56-48 at the half.
Brown – 15 points
Tatum – 10 points
Smart – 9 points
Hayward – 8 points
Celtics – 11-22 3-point shootingMcCollum – 13 points
Anthony – 12 points
Whiteside – 7 points, 11 rebounds
Blazers – 10 turnovers— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 26, 2020
A few blown rotations and slip-ups to end the half on defense for Boston, but overall the intensity ratcheted up after a lackluster first 18-20 minutes of play.
— CelticsBlog (@celticsblog) February 26, 2020
Referee hijinks.
The Celtics just picked up a delay-of-game warning for taking too long to start the third quarter.
— Tom Westerholm (@Tom_NBA) February 26, 2020
Marcus with a clever dime.
Smart with the assist to Theis pic.twitter.com/oQ2bl45FVe
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 26, 2020
Blazers were hanging in until they went cold around mid-third quarter – with help from Boston’s defense.
gimme dat 😤 pic.twitter.com/fMooY1jquH
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 26, 2020
Jayson Tatum team defense pic.twitter.com/lXzxFKOHFC
— Max Carlin (@maxacarlin) February 26, 2020
Celts went on a 17-4 run to lead by 17 with 2:09 left in the third.
Hayward, Brown and Tatum are a combined 21-for-38 shooting for 54 points.
Celtics lead 81-64. Timeout Blazers.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 26, 2020
Incredibly, the coach got hit with another technical.
Brad Stevens is on a two-game technical foul streak… that has to be the only such streak of his career
— John Karalis 🇬🇷 🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) February 26, 2020
Refs hate Brad Stevens. Techs for just asking questions smh.
— Cindy (@cindytweetsalot) February 26, 2020
All was well at the end of the third as Tatum scored a dozen in the period.
Celtics up 85-70 after three.
Brown – 22 points
Tatum – 22 points
Hayward – 12 points
Celtics – 13-29 3-point shootingMcCollum – 22 points
Anthony – 12 points
Whiteside – 12 points, 15 rebounds
Blazers – 14 turnovers— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 26, 2020
Tonight is the 3rd straight game that both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have 20+ points. The Celtics are 13-1 when that happens this season
— Max Lederman (@Max_Lederman) February 26, 2020
Fourth quarter, Tatum was still oozing confidence.
0️⃣is on 🔥 pic.twitter.com/P4Ne8FIGVb
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 26, 2020
Jayson Tatum has now scored 30+ points in five of his last nine games.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) February 26, 2020
With 5 minutes left, the Blazers cut Boston’s lead to 11 and looked poised to make one last run, but Smart hit his fourth triple to calm the waters. McCollum proceeded to miss 3 of 5 free throws, and Tatum drained his eighth trey to end all drama with 2:56 remaining.
Jayson Tatum cannot be stopped pic.twitter.com/a2aqelj0gP
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) February 26, 2020
Jayson Tatum: 36 points, 8 3PT made
Jaylen Brown: 24 points, 7 rebounds
Marcus Smart: 12 points, 6 rebounds
Daniel Theis: 10 points, 9 reboundsThe Celtics defeat the Trailblazers 118-106 without Kemba Walker and are the fifth team to reach the 40-win mark this season.
— Dante Turo (@DanteOnDeck) February 26, 2020
☘️ Celtics 118 🌀 Blazers 106
🚼 Jayson Tatum, still a problem:
36 PTS
14-22 FG
8-12 3PT
5 REB
2 BLK
34:26💪🏾 Jaylen Brown with 24 PTS, 7 REB
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) February 26, 2020
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