Kelly Olynyk goes off in the 4th and the Celtics close out the Wizards in game 7, 115-105


Kelly Olynyk had the game of his life and the Boston Celtics closed out the Washington Wizards in game 7, 115-105. The Celtics are headed to the Eastern Conference finals and a showdown with the reigning champion Cleveland Cavaliers. Olynyk scored 26 points on 10 of 14 shooting including 14 points in the 4th quarter to help put the Wizards away. After a rough start Isaiah Thomas finished with 29 points on 9 of 21 shooting and 12 assists behind a huge 2nd half.

Bradley Beal had a monster game for Washington with 38 points shooting 12 of 22 from the field (5 of 10 from three) but John Wall struggled his way to 18 points on 8 of 23 shooting and a dismal 1 for 8 from the outside.

Both teams started tight going a combined 3-10 over the first three minutes of the game. A few short arms in close and wide open missed threes from both sides. A trio of Isaiah Thomas free-throws got the C's on the board and off and running to a 10-2 run to open the game, but the Wizards ripped off 10 straight points to answer back.

They traded buckets before the Celtics opened up a 7 point lead (24-17), but again the Wizards responded and had the lead to 1-point in the closing seconds of the first. Kelly Olynyk closed out a solid first quarter for himself with a drive, bucket, and the foul to put the Celtics up 4 at the end of the 1st quarter.


Thomas was struggling to find the range into the opening minutes of the 2nd quarter, shooting 1 for 7 until he scored on a nice drive and Terry Rozier caught Markieff Morris sleeping on the ensuing inbound pass which he snatched and dished to a wide open Jae Crowder under the basket to put the C's up 38-33.


The Wizards closed the first half strong and if it wasn't for a monster block and ensuing free-throws on the other end from Marcus Smart the Celtics might've been down more than the two points they trailed at halftime (55-53):


Thomas struggled shooting in the first half going 3 for 9 (0 for 2 from three) but did manage 12 points and 6 assists. Olynyk had an ultra efficient start to the game going 5 for 7 for 12 points.

The Wizards spread out their attack with 4 guys in double-figures heading into the break, including 14 and 13 points from Bradley Beal and John Wall respectively. Washington dominated the glass (23-14) led by 7 rebounds from Otto Porter and held the Celtics without a offensive board in the first half. They also dominated in transition, taking full advantage of every Celtics turnover:


Washington started the 2nd half strong, stretching their lead to 6 over the first 5 minutes, but the Celtics ripped off an 8-2 run to knot the game at 72 with 4:55 in the 3rd. Then Isaiah got hot, ripping off back to back threes followed by another from Smart and the Celtics carried a 13-3 run heading into the 4th up 6 (85-79).


That run ballooned to 22-5 in the opening minutes of the 4th where the Celtics continued to roll on the Wizards until a 7-0 run from Washington prompted a Brad Stevens timeout with 8:49 to go and a 6-point Celtics lead (94-88).

Beal scored the next 9 points for the Wizards only to be matched by Olynyk who ripped off three straight baskets of his own and 10 of the Celtics next 12 points and the TD Garden was absolutely rocking. Chants of "Kelly, Kelly" were raining down.




Kelly's 14 points in the 4th quarter helped the Celtics run away with the game and sent the Wizards packing. A matchup with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals starts Wednesday night in Boston.


Related: NBA Draft Lottery Tuesday night, Wyc Grousbeck to represent Celts

Photo Credit - Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

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