Paul Pierce had 28 points and nailed six 3-pointers in 37 minutes. Kevin Garnett had 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists in 31 minutes to earn his 29th double-double of the season. Boston also ended a three-game road winning streak and is now 4-3 in the second game of back-to-back games on the road. The Celtics were playing a night after winning in overtime at Milwaukee, although all their starters played fewer than 25 minutes.
The Wizards shot 51.3 percent and easily surpassed 100 points against the NBA's top defensive team. Antawn Jamison had a double-double of 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Gilbert Arenas added 13 points and four steals off the bench. The Wizards also scored 52 points in the paint and caused 20 turnovers.
"We played well for 48 minutes," said Wizards coach Eddie Jordan. "We withstood a couple of their runs and we were able to stage a few runs of our own. It was one of those proud, manly games. You have to get through it and prove it to yourself that you can compete on a level like the Boston Celtics."
It's possible that the top-seeded Celtics could face the Wizards in the second round of the playoffs. And if that happens, will the season series matter?
"If we beat them three times, it wouldn't mean anything," said Ray Allen, who had 13 points in 37 minutes. "Once the playoff starts . . ."
Said Jamison: "It says a lot to beat the team, three games to one, throughout the regular season. If a matchup was to occur in the playoffs, it gives us confidence to know that we can match up with them. We're taking their best shot and things are going to intensify once the playoffs get started. I think it's good for us to know that we have the confidence to beat Boston three times."
