The Portland Trail Blazers caught three breaks before their game Wednesday at the Boston Celtics but failed to take advantage, falling 128-118.
No shame in losing to the defending champions, but the Blazers wasted an opportunity to pick up a victory against an opponent down three starters.
Superstar forward Jayson Tatum (hip), point guard Jrue Holiday (finger) and center Kristaps Porzingis (illness) were in street clothes.
But the Celtics remained formidable enough with Jaylen Brown, guard Derrick White and former Oregon Ducks star Payton Pritchard in the lineup to handle the Blazers, who have still not defeated a winning team since Feb. 6.
Pritchard came off the bench to score a career-high 43 on 14-of-20 shooting. He made a career-best 10 three-pointers on 16 attempts and also produced 10 rebounds with five assists.
White scored 41 points while sinking 9 of 17 threes. The Celtics’ duo became the NBA’s first to each make at least nine three-point baskets in a game, according to the Blazers’ broadcast.
Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics dribbles against Scoot Henderson #00 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the first quarter at TD Garden on March 05, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)Getty Images
The Celtics, who lead the NBA in three-point attempts per game (48.0) and rank seventh in percentage made (37.0%), got off 31 attempts in the first half and finished 23 of 54 (42.6%). They went 8 of 11 in the pivotal third quarter.
“You prepared for this team and you talk about the shot-making that they have, and the ball-movement that they have, it’s really elite,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups told reporters. “And you go out there and you say, ‘They’re gonna make some shots. Don’t get discouraged. Hang in there. Just hang in.’ And we did that … I’m so proud of these dudes for just scrapping and hanging in.”
For the most part, Billups felt like his team defended relatively well.
“It’s really hard because it’s not like they’re shooting wide-open shots,” Billups said. “They’re shooting tough shots, contested shots and making them.”
The Blazers shot 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range while committing just eight turnovers, but couldn’t keep pace with the Celtics’ shooting.
Anfernee Simons led the Blazers with 30 points and six assists. Shaedon Sharpe scored 25 with six rebounds. Jabari Walker came off the bench to score 22 points with six rebounds.
The Blazers took a lead in the first quarter and led in the second quarter only to watch the Celtics push past them both times and go up 66-55 at halftime.
The game all but ended in the third quarter, won 36-27 by the Celtics, who received 19 points from Pritchard.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe, center, is surrounded by Boston Celtics on a drive to the basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) APAP
Boston led 102-82 entering the fourth and grew their lead to 25 points. But the Blazers managed to make the game semi-interesting late. A run got the Blazers to within 126-118 with 1:52 remaining. But Portland never scored again.
WHAT IT MEANS
The 12th-place Blazers (28-35) lost a half-game to 11th-place Phoenix (29-33) and 10th-place Dallas (32-20). However, when the Blazers’ game ended, the Mavericks trailed by 24 points in the third quarter at the Milwaukee Bucks when the Blazers’ game ended. Should Dallas lose, the Blazers would remain four games out of 10th.
The Celtics (44-18), second in the East, were able to rest three starters and still pick up a win.
AVDIJA INJURED
Blazers forward Deni Avdija left the game in the fourth quarter with a left quad injury and did not return. He scored 12 points with six rebounds in 23 minutes during the loss.
Avdija first injured his left quad on Feb. 26 during the Blazers’ 129-121 at Washington.
NEXT UP
The Blazers play at 5 p.m. Friday at the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-11).
— Aaron Fentress | [email protected] | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)
