WASHINGTON (AP) — Otto Porter didn’t think much of “Otto Porter” chants in the final minutes of the Washington Wizards’ 118-93 rout of the Boston Celtics. But they sure were familiar.
Back in the same building he called home when he starred at Georgetown, Porter scored a career-high 34 points and had 14 rebounds Wednesday night. Porter shot 14 of 19 and 3 of 5 from 3-point territory, sparking the Wizards to a 26-point lead after a quarter — an advantage that never dipped below 15 the rest of the way.
“Right now I’m trying to play at a high level every night,” Porter said. “I’m trying to do what it is I can do to help this team win.”
Porter scored 20-plus for the second consecutive game and delivered the win he believed the Wizards (2-5) desperately needed. On a night Bradley Beal left with right hamstring tightness and John Wall was ejected for the second game in a row, Porter was the offensive and defensive catalyst with four assists, three steals and three blocks.
“He gives you a lot of winning basketball plays,” coach Scott Brooks said. “You can look at his field goal percentage, you can look at all the things that he does in his midrange game, his 3-point shot’s developed, his offensive rebounds.”
Porter earned plenty of credit from the Celtics (3-4) for his energy all over the court.
“He outworked us, getting off his rebounds, put-backs,” said Isaiah Thomas, who led Boston with 23 points. “You’ve got to tip your hat to him, but they were running isolation plays for him and we just couldn’t guard him.”
SLOW START
The Celtics started the game 4 of 22, including 0 of 8 from 3-point range, as the Wizards’ 26-point lead was the largest by any NBA team after the first quarter this season. According to ESPN Stats and Info, Boston’s eight points were its fewest in the first quarter since scoring seven against the Milwaukee Bucks in 1974.
“I didn’t think there was a lack of purpose or focus,” coach Brad Stevens said. “I thought we looked a little shook by them on offense.”
WALL EJECTED
Wall, who scored 19 points, was thrown out with 5:24 left when he was assessed a Flagrant-2 on video review for fouling Boston’s Marcus Smart. It was his fifth career ejection but second in as many games, and Wall was also fined $25,000 on Wednesday for inappropriate actions toward an official when he was tossed from the Wizards’ loss to Houston on Monday.
“We have to keep our composure,” Brooks said.
HORFORD PROGRESS
Stevens said C Al Horford made some more progress in the league’s concussion protocol Tuesday after the team left Boston. Horford has missed four consecutive games.
“The process restarts itself if you have symptoms when you start the different levels of exercise, so he’s had to restart a few times already,” Stevens said.
TIP-INS
Wizards: Beat the Celtics for the first time since Dec. 27, 2014, snapping a four-game skid. … Brooks said Beal will have an MRI on his hamstring Thursday and that Wall wouldn’t play either Friday against Cleveland or Saturday at Chicago. … The team held a pregame moment of silence for Greg Ballard, a member of the 1978 NBA champion Bullets who died Wednesday at age 61.
Celtics: C Kelly Olynyk played 25 minutes and scored two points in his season debut after undergoing right shoulder surgery in May. … F Jae Crowder missed his third consecutive game with a sprained left ankle.
UP NEXT
Celtics: Host the New York Knicks on Friday in the first half of a back-to-back.
Wizards: Host LeBron James and the Cavaliers on Friday fresh off the defending champions’ trip to the White House.
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