The shorthanded Celtics shook off a slow start on Wednesday night and ran away from the Kings with a dominant 144-119 victory at the Golden 1 Center.
Boston fell behind by as many as 12 points in the opening six minutes of the contest with Jayson Tatum (sprained ankle) and Al Horford (rest) sitting out the contest. The visitors bounced back in a hurry though, turning the tables on the Kings by outscoring them 85-49 over a 24-minute stretch that covered both halves.
Derrick White and Jaylen Brown led the way for the offensive explosion for Boston with 28 points as five different players scored 20 points or more for the Celtics, the first time that’s happened in a game for Boston since 1987. Jrue Holiday also added a season-high 21 points and 10 assists while Kristaps Porzingis chipped in with 24 points and 6 blocks in his return from a calf injury. De’Aaron Fox finished with a game-high 29 points for the Kings in the setback as Sacramento saw their three-game winning streak snapped.
Here are four Celtics takeaways from the victory:
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Derrick White builds on All-Star case: The starting point guard continues to have a breakout offensive season and did it on a night the Celtics needed it with Jayson Tatum sidelined. White was nearly perfect in the first half, scoring a team-high 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field. He continued that hot streak intermission helping Boston put the game away in the third quarter with another seven points. The first two games of this road trip are his highest combined scoring nights as a member of the Celtics.
Kristaps Porzingis takes over the game in the third quarter: While it was the Derrick White show for much of the first half, the Celtics starting center had his turn to shine in the third period. The big man shook off an ankle roll early in the period to pile up 14 points in the third quarter on 4-of-5 shooting from th field. He also piled up a team-high 5 rebounds and 3 blocks in the period, giving Boston tremendous two-way play that turned the game into a blowout after Boston outscored the hosts 39-24 in the frame.
A historic first half for 3-point shooting: The Celtics and Kings were red-hot from 3-point range over the first 24 minutes, to the point that they entered the NBA record books. The two teams combined for 19 made 3s in the first quarter which tied an NBA record. They added to it again with 28 combined 3s in the first half. Five different Celtics hit multiple 3s in the win for Boston with Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Jrue Holiday leading the way with a combined 16 makes from deep. De’Aaron Fox also knocked down six 3s for the hosts in the setback.
An impressive bounceback for Boston to close a brutal schedule stretch: Boston entered Wednesday’s contest as underdogs without Tatum and Horford available and coming off a back-to-back. The contest was also the tail end of a brutal five games in seven nights stretch for Boston. Despite those potential excuses, the Celtics shook off a brutal defensive start in the first quarter and dominated the final 42 minutes of this contest over a formidable playoff team in the Western Conference. Last year, a loss against the Warriors started a tough slide for this group but Wednesday’s win was an indication that will not be the case for this year’s improved squad.
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