Celtics outlast Wizards in Game 7, advance to Eastern Conference finals
BOSTON – The smallest player on the court came up biggest when his team needed it most, and the gangliest player on the court had the playoff game of his career.
Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas scored a team-high 29 points and added 12 assists, and Celtics backup center Kelly Olynyk scored a playoff career-high 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting as Boston eliminated the Washington Wizards with a 115-105 victory Monday in Game 7.
"Kelly was the MVP tonight," Thomas said.
Olynyk's contributions may have been more surprising, but Thomas was still the catalyst.
"Man, is he a tough guy," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "He's dealing with more stuff physically, and obviously going through what he went through at the start of the playoffs. It's pretty remarkable."
The Celtics overcame a playoff career-high 38 points from Wizards guard Bradley Beal. John Wall had 18 but shot just 8 for 23 from the field and 1 for 8 on three-pointers.
"It's going to be a while for me," Beal said of how long it might take before the sting of the loss subsides. "I hate losing, especially when we feel like we were a better team. This definitely hurts the most."
The prize the Celtics get for winning this Eastern Conference semifinals series? A matchup against the rested and unbeaten Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference finals. Game 1 is Wednesday in Boston (8:30 p.m., TNT).
“They’re tremendous," Stevens said. "They’re the defending champs. I think they’re playing better this year than they did last year, when I watch them at least. … I’ve seen them play before. We played them four times. I think they’re better than any of the four times we played them, including the last one where they smashed us. We’re going to have to play really well.”
Added Thomas: "I'm definitely going to enjoy it until tomorrow. We've got to get ready for the defending champs. Good thing about it, we've got homecourt advantage."
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Boston took advantage of that on Monday, getting timely performances from multiple players.
With the Celtics trailing late in the third quarter, Boston Celtics 5-9 guard Thomas sparked a game-changing 18-2 run with three three-pointers to give Boston its first double-digit lead of the game. Boston turned a 79-76 deficit into a 94-81 lead.
Thomas, who is playing with a heavy heart following the death of his 22-year-old sister Chyna in a car accident at the start of the playoffs, scored 17 of his points in the second half, including 12 in the third quarter.
Olynyk had 14 of his points in the fourth quarter and was the X-factor that swung the series in Boston’s favor. Reserves Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown scored 12 and nine points, and Boston’s bench outscored Washington’s bench 48-5.
"The home team’s bench seemed to play really well," Stevens added. "I thought Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart were really good. Marcus played as hard as he possibly could, and he was exhausted and that’s a good feeling when you win, when you’ve left it all out there.”
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt.
