In a nutshell
Good god, Kyrie Irving. Or maybe it’s Good, god Kyrie Irving? Irving (38 points) nailed a pair of CLUTCH three-pointers in the final minute of overtime as the Celtics beat the Wizards, 130-125 in Washington. Irving’s game-winner was a 28-footer with 10 seconds on the shot clock. 28 FEET!!
Irving may have been brilliant in the clutch, but the Celtics don’t win this game without Marcus Smart’s balls-to-the-wall hustle play. Whether it was a steal, offensive rebound, deflection, or charge, Smart did it ALL. Oh yeah, he even played center.
I should mention the Celtics won this game without Gordon Hayward (illness), Jaylen Brown (illness) and Al Horford (knee tendinitis).
What went right
Everything Kyrie did in the final 3 minutes of OT: he scored all 12 of Boston’s points (3-4 FG, 2-2 3 FG, 4-4 FT).
Marcus Morris (27 points, 11-20 FG) remains white-hot. He’s shooting a career-best 49% and 43% 3 FG.
The Celtics went 25-25 from the free throw line.
What went wrong
Stevens’ plan to foul Bradley Beal with the Celtics up 3 with 13 seconds remaining made sense until they allowed Beal to corral the rebound of his 2nd FT and put it back for the tie.
With Baynes on a minutes restriction and Theis fouled out, the Celtics opted to go small late in the game and it backfired as John Wall got to the rim at will.
Semi Ojeleye was 1-7 3 FG.
What did I hear?
Kyrie was getting MVP chants…in Washington 😂 pic.twitter.com/zpCaQuSseH
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 13, 2018
Highlights
Back to back threes from Kyrie in OT give the Celtics a 3-point lead 😰 (@AAANe_MAnews) #AAANortheast pic.twitter.com/BeVIz0l5ZN
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) December 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/NBCSWizards/status/1073041474932084737
MOOK IS THE REAL WIZARD 🧙♂️(@AAANe_MAnews) #AAANortheast pic.twitter.com/GfbqeRiO5E
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) December 13, 2018
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 13, 2018
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
