Celtics Defeat Wizards 108-96 in NBA Cup

The Boston Celtics secured a hard-fought 108-96 victory over the Washington Wizards in the NBA Cup, with Jaylen Brown leading the team with 31 points and 11 rebounds. Despite the win, the Celtics struggled offensively, shooting 42.4% from the floor and only 23.9% from three-point range, matching their lowest scoring output of the season. Jayson Tatum had a particularly rough night, going 0-for-10 from beyond the arc. Coach Joe Mazzulla received a technical foul during the game, which he felt helped alter the game's energy. The Celtics improved their record to 13-8 and remain in second place in Eastern Conference Group C, needing to boost their point differential to advance in the tournament. Elsewhere, the Dallas Mavericks narrowly defeated the Denver Nuggets 123-120, with Naji Marshall scoring 26 points in Luka Doncic's absence.