Kristaps Porzingis exits with injury as Celtics race past Wizards 112-98

The Boston Celtics took care of business against the NBA’s worst team Sunday night, cruising to a 112-98 win over the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena.

Boston now faces new questions about the health of Kristaps Porzingis, however, after the big man left the game with a heel injury during the second quarter.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 28 points and 12 rebounds, Payton Pritchard notched his second straight double-double off the bench (15 points, 10 rebounds), and Derrick White and Jaylen Brown combined for five steals and three blocks for Boston.

Here are six takeaways from the road victory, which improved the Celtics’ record to 21-5

1. Porzingis injured

The Celtics’ starting center made five of his first six shots in the win, but he exited toward the locker room before halftime and did not return.

The team announced his injury as “right heel pain.” It was unclear exactly when he suffered it, or if it was something he was dealing with before the game began. NBC Sports Boston’s broadcast showed clips of Porzingis wincing during warmups.

Importantly, the offseason surgery that sidelined Porzingis for the first 17 games was on his left leg/ankle, so this was not an aggravation of that injury. Earlier in the week, Porzingis said he felt close to 100% healthy, adding: “A couple more games, and I’ll be where I need to.”

Porzingis entered Sunday averaging 25.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.2 steals per 36 minutes across his first six appearances, even with his shooting percentages down from last season. The Celtics are a substantially more dangerous team when he is healthy and available, especially in the rim protection department.

Thanks to Boston’s favorable December schedule — a silver lining of its early elimination from the NBA Cup — Porzingis will have four days to rest before his team’s next game. The Celtics are off until Thursday, when they’ll host the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden.

2. Kornet carries the load

With Al Horford sitting out for rest purposes, Porzingis’ early exit led to an increased role for Luke Kornet. The backup big met the moment, setting season highs in both rebounds and free-throw attempts across his 27 minutes of action.

Kornet finished with seven points, four assists and 11 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. The Celtics outscored the Wizards by 20 points with Kornet on the floor. It was his second straight impactful performance, as the 7-footer had 12 points and seven rebounds and was a plus-24 in Thursday’s rout of the Pistons.

Neemias Queta spelled Kornet for 10 minutes, and Xavier Tillman checked in late for a garbage-time cameo.

3. No rust for Tatum in return

Washington jumped out to an early eight-point lead thanks to Bilal Coulibaly, who poured in 11 points in the first 2 1/2 minutes. But that gap quickly vanished, then turned into a double-digit advantage for the visiting Celtics. Leading that charge was Jayson Tatum, who looked well-rested after his weeklong layoff.

Tatum, who sat out Thursday’s win over Detroit with a minor knee injury, tallied 11 points and six rebounds in the first quarter alone, then scored Boston’s first eight points in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

Sam Hauser also played well after sitting out Thursday with an adductor strain. His final line in 28 minutes off the bench: 12 points (4 for 10; 4 for 9 from three), seven rebounds, one assist, two steals, team-best plus-27.

4. Third-quarter stumbles

The Celtics led by as many as 21 points in the first half and by 15 at halftime, looking dominant against the team currently in pole position in the race to land prized 2025 draft prospect Cooper Flagg.

But Boston let its underdog opponent hang around during an erratic third quarter. The Celtics went scoreless for more than four minutes early in the second half, allowing the Wizards to cut their deficit to single digits. Washington never was able to close the gap, however, as it had no answer for two 3-point flurries.

The first saw Tatum and Hauser hit threes on back-to-back possessions after Kornet threw down a lob from Pritchard. Later, with Boston up nine, Pritchard drilled treys on consecutive trips to reestablish momentum.

A Brown floater as time expired made it 91-72 Celtics entering the fourth quarter. The 3-21 Wizards ran out of gas in the final 12 minutes, and Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was able to empty his bench with two minutes remaining.

5. Payton Pritchard. Ho hum.

More of the same from the Sixth Man of the Year favorite, who brought energy during a less-than-stellar second half for Boston.

Pritchard made five 3-pointers for the 13th time this season, two more than any other NBA player. He also became the fastest Celtic to reach 100 made threes in a season, breaking a mark previously held by Kemba Walker. Anthony Edwards was the only NBA player to reach 100 threes more quickly this season.

What’s more, Pritchard also set a season high with 10 rebounds. The last time he hit double figures was April 2023.

6. Celtics attack Sarr

No. 2 overall draft pick Alex Sarr might have a bright NBA future ahead of him, but the 19-year-old Frenchman has looked out of his depth each time he’s faced the Celtics this season. Targeting the rookie center was a clear point of emphasis for head coach Joe Mazzulla, and Sarr struggled against Boston’s squadron of skilled, savvy veterans.

Tatum put him on skates on a powerful driving dunk, and Sarr picked up three fouls before the end of the first quarter. The youngster also scuffled offensively, going 6 for 18 from the floor.

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