Morning sports update: Isaiah Thomas doesn’t want the Celtics to hang their heads
"We've got to be confident."
The Celtics were run off the floor — in the third quarter this time — in their Game 4 loss to the Wizards Sunday evening in Washington.
Wrong time for a crisis in confidence: The reality is the Washington Wizards have been the better team in this series. They have made the Celtics look really bad on several occasions, including the game-deciding 26-0 beatdown in the third quarter Sunday night that helped the Wizards win, 121-102. (Boston Globe)
Brad Stevens’ preference on turnovers vs. Wizards: ‘Drop-kick it into the stands’: During that 26-0 run, the Celtics missed five shots and turned the ball over eight times, including a pair of shot-clock violations. When Boston gave it away in a live-ball situation, the Wizards routinely raced the other way for easy buckets. It got to the point where Celtics coach Brad Stevens wished his team would simply punt the ball 10 rows deep instead of giving up immediate points. (ESPN)
Thomas lobbies for calls with Celtics-Wizards series tied: “They were very physical. The refs were allowing them to hold and grab and do all those things,” Thomas said. “It’s got to be called differently. … I can’t be allowed to be held and grabbed every pin-down, every screen and I don’t even shoot one free throw. I play the same way each and every night. That has to change.” (Boston.com)
3 thoughts on the Wizards’ 121-102 demolition of the Celtics: In this particular debacle for the Celtics, the first quarter showed up disguised as the third quarter. (Boston.com)
#FreeOubre: Wizards owner posts photo wearing jersey of suspended player: In a conspicuous social media decision, Wizards owner Ted Leonsis tweeted a photo of himself wearing an Oubre jersey. (Boston.com)
Chris Sale joined exclusive company with 10K performance: It was the sixth straight start in which Sale reached double digits in strikeouts. Sale was already alone with Pedro Martinez in Red Sox history after achieving the feat five times in a row. (Boston.com)
Leon hits 2 HRs, Sale fans 10, Red Sox rout Twins 17-6: Sandy Leon hit a pair of two-run homers, Chris Sale struck out 10 and the Boston Red Sox romped out of town with a 17-6 victory Sunday over the Minnesota Twins fueled by a season-high five homers and finished with a 10-run ninth. (Boston.com)
Scuffling Jackie Bradley Jr. sits for a second straight day: It’s not unusual for a starting player to get a day off when dealing with a slump, but Sunday marked the second day in a row Jackie Bradley Jr. did not play for the Red Sox. (Boston Globe)
