Thomas Scores 23, Celtics Beat Wizards 116-91

WASHINGTON -- Guard Isaiah Thomas continued to torment the Washington Wizards with 23 points and nine assists as the Boston Celtics finished off a four-game season sweep with a 116-91 win Monday night.

Guard Evan Turner scored 18 points for the Celtics (25-21), who outscored the Wizards 63-42 in the second half and led by as many as 27 points in their third straight win.

Thomas fueled the latest victory as the point guard outdueled Wizards guard John Wall in the second meeting between the Eastern Conference teams at Washington in less than 10 days. All of Thomas' production, including two 3-pointers, came in just three quarters. Boston led 84-70 after three quarters and never let the margin dip into single digits during the fourth.

Washington (20-22) played its first game since Wednesday. The massive snowstorm that dropped over two feet of snow throughout the D.C. area over the weekend led to the NBA postponing Saturday's home game against the Utah Jazz. The layoff may have sapped any momentum following Wednesday's 106-87 drubbing of the Miami Heat.

Then again, the Celtics have found a way against the Wizards all season.

Washington opened what eventually turned into a four-game homestand with a 119-117 loss to the Celtics on Jan. 16 as Boston forward Jae Crowder hit the game-winning layup with the 3.9 seconds remaining.

There was no late-game drama this time. Playing lethargic and loose with the basketball, the Wizards committed 20 turnovers, which the Celtics turned into 28 points.

Forwards Otto Porter and Jared Dudley led Washington with 15 points.

Porter returned to Washington's lineup after missing four games with a hip injury. However, the injury-plagued Wizards lost guard Bradley Beal for the remainder of the game after he was inadvertently being hit in the face while defending Celtics guard Marcus Smart in the second quarter.

Thomas scored 32 in the prior game in Washington. In four games against Washington this season, he averaged 27 points, 6.2 assists and shot 11 of 23 (47.8 percent) on 3-pointers.

Wall stuffed the stat sheet with 36 points, 13 assists and seven steals in the previous matchup. But this time he finished with eight points on 3-of-11 shooting with 10 assists.

After Washington closed within five points late in the third quarter, Thomas' penetration and passing set up forward Kelly Olynyk's 3-pointer, which started a 12-3 run over the final 2:55. Smart and Olynyk each scored 13 points.

Boston also had its Saturday game delayed, but only for one day. The Celtics hammered the 76ers 112-92 Sunday in Philadelphia.

NOTES: This was the first matchup since Celtics F Jae Crowder claimed Wizards coach Randy Wittman shouted vulgarities at him during the final minutes of Boston's Jan. 16 win. Wittman later brushed off the acquisition, noting he didn't receive a technical foul with the referees in earshot. Crowder received a technical foul for the incident. ... Wizards F Drew Gooden (calf strain) also returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games. ... Boston hosts the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. ... After four straight home games, Washington plays three of its next four on the road starting with Tuesday's matchup at the Toronto Raptors.