Isaiah Thomas etches name in Celtics playoff history with 53 in OT win
BOSTON (AP) — Isaiah Thomas scored 53 points, nine in overtime, to help the Boston Celtics beat the Washington Wizards 129-119 on Tuesday night and take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals.
John Wall had 40 points and 13 rebounds for the Wizards.
The series moves to Washington for Games 3 and 4 on Thursday and Sunday.
Team doctors jammed it back in, but Thomas spent part of Monday and Tuesday in the dentist's chair to have it repositioned. In Game 2, he wasn't the only one needing medical attention: Washington's Otto Porter Jr. left the court with blood gushing from his nose, and Celtics guard Avery Bradley needed treatment for a hip pointer in the second half.
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Washington led by as many as 14 in the third and still had an 87-75 lead with just over 4 minutes left before Boston scored nine of the next 11 points to end the quarter.
Boston led 112-111 with 33 seconds left in the fourth when Porter hit a 3-pointer to give the Wizards the lead. Thomas was fouled going to the basket and made two free throws to tie it, then both Wall and Bradley Beal missed short jumpers that could have won it in regulation.
WALKING WOUNDED
The game was only about a minute old when Morris threw Horford into the crowd under the Celtics basket. Late in the first, Wall had to shake it off after landing on a prone Kelly Olynyk. Bradley sustained a hip pointer in a collision with 1:11 to play in the first half. And seconds later, Porter landed hard on his right wrist and elbow, but remained in the game.
Thomas banged his face on the court in the third and spent the next few minutes adjusting his teeth.
GETTING TESTY
Thomas and Morris got into it midway through the third, drawing double technicals. Thomas appeared to be having words with someone on the Wizards bench, and Morris tried to push him away.
At the same time, Porter and Thomas appeared to bang heads and Porter headed to the locker room bleeding from the nose.
TIP-INS
Wizards: Wall's 19 first-quarter points matched a career playoff high, as did his six first-quarter assists. ... Gortat fouled out going for a rebound on Boston's first possession of overtime.
Celtics: Thomas had 15 points in the first quarter, followed by five in the second. ... Boston shot 61 percent in the first half, but also had 10 turnovers. ... New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was at the game. So was actor David Spade. ... Boston's Terry Rozier had a career playoff high with 12 points.
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