After securing two hard-fought victories to kick off the 2023-24 season, the Boston Celtics were in for a more relaxed evening. They found precisely that in their Monday night clash with the rebuilding Washington Wizards. The Celtics dominated from the get-go, forcing their way to an early lead and maintaining their scoring pace throughout, despite a challenging fourth quarter from the bench players. Ultimately, the Celtics walked away with a 126-107 win.

Jaylen Brown shone brightly in this contest, putting up an impressive 36 points and coming close to breaking the team’s record for three-pointers made (currently held by Marcus Smart with 11) by sinking eight three-pointers in the first three quarters. Joining him was Jayson Tatum, who notched his second 30+ point game in three outings, contributing 33 points. Kyle Kuzma led the Wizards with 21 points, but the reduced firepower on the Wizards’ roster couldn’t keep up.

The Celtics wasted no time establishing their dominance in this matchup. They initiated the game with a 13-5 run, prompting a Wizards timeout, and continued to extend their lead as play resumed. Brown, in particular, looked exceptionally comfortable, starting the game 6-of-9 from the field and leading the Celtics with 16 points in the first quarter. It was an offensive onslaught, with the Celtics appearing to play a different game altogether compared to the sluggish Wizards. Boston held a commanding 42-19 lead heading into the second quarter.

Kristaps Porzingis, playing against his former team for the first time, also looked at ease. With Daniel Gafford sidelined due to injury, the Wizards made the curious decision to go small, starting Kuzma at the center position over former teammates Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala. This proved to be the wrong choice against Boston’s 7-foot-3 offseason acquisition. Porzingis contributed 13 points and a blocked shot in the first half.

In the second quarter, Tatum picked up the pace, sinking a pair of threes to keep the Celtics’ offense in high gear. Their lead continued to grow, crossing the 30-point mark midway through the quarter as they threatened to double up the Wizards, leading 60-30. While they couldn’t maintain the double-up, the Celtics followed up their 42-point first quarter with a 35-point second, entering halftime with a commanding 77-51 lead.

Any hope the Wizards may have had late in the first half failed to carry over into the second half. The Celtics quickly put together a 9-2 run in the early minutes of the third quarter, reestablishing their lead at over 30 points. Brown continued to pile on the points, surpassing the 30-point mark early in the quarter. By the end of the third, Brown and Tatum had nearly outscored the entire Wizards team, combining for 69 points to Washington’s 75. The Celtics entered the final quarter with a 33-point advantage.

If there was one area of concern in the Celtics’ performance, it was their bench play. Boston’s reserves struggled offensively, with Al Horford being the only one to contribute any points, primarily through offensive rebounds. However, aside from Horford, no bench player managed to score in the first three quarters of play. Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser, in particular, had a tough time finding the mark from beyond the three-point line.

As the fourth quarter began, both teams turned to their bench players to close out the game. The Wizards managed to salvage some dignity, as their reserves embarked on a 19-4 run against Boston’s less potent bench unit. While this run didn’t bring the Celtics’ starters back into the game, it did cut the deficit to as close as 15 points. It was a challenging night for the Celtics’ bench, raising questions about the team’s depth.

Up next, the Celtics will return home to face the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday at 7:30 PM, with the game broadcasted on NBC Sports Boston.