WASHINGTON — The Wizards, down 2-0 in their second-round playoff matchup with the Celtics, needed a win Thursday to avoid a dreaded three-game series deficit.
It’s safe to say they dodged that bullet.
Washington won Game 3 at the Verizon Center Thursday, breezing past the green team 116-89.
John Wall led the team with 24 points. Otto Porter Jr. and Bojan Bogdanovic each had 19. Marcin Gortat had 13 points and a team-leading 16 rebounds.
Boston point guard Isaiah Thomas, who put up an astounding 53 points in Game 2, came nowhere near that Thursday, scoring a modest 13 points.
The second quarter had one notable lowlight: Kelly Oubre Jr. shoved Kelly Olynyk to the floor after the Boston center set an illegal screen that flattened Oubre.
Oubre was ejected.
The series stays at Verizon Center for Game 4. Tipoff is at 6:30 p.m. Sunday on TNT, but tickets are still available.