The Boston Celtics struggled to match the pace of the Washington Wizards in the first half of their matchup on Friday. Washington consistently leaked out after missed shots and turnovers, finding significant success when getting into a foot race against Boston’s defense.
Washington had 18 fast-break points in the first quarter and added another 8 in the second. That’s 26 points against a lackluster defense that allowed the Wizards to hang around going into half-time.
Boston should have expected the Wizards to push the pace whenever they got the chance. They rank fourth in the NBA for transition possessions and second for transition field-goal percentage.