NBA playoff scores 2017: Celtics-Wizards Game 2 was the best game of the postseason

On Tuesday, Game 2 between Washington and Boston gave us everything: a point guard duel, an impossibly incredible performance from the Celtics’ superstar, a tight game with buckets being exchanged down the stretch, and an overtime period that saw a one-man takeover.

Several of those phrases describe Isaiah Thomas, who scored 53 points on his late sister’s birthday. But that game was amazing outside of Thomas’ tragic family circumstances, too.

Western Conference truthers might still argue for the Grizzlies vs. Spurs Game 4, that’s a fair point. However, Tuesday’s Game 2 had everything we loved about a tight postseason game wrapped up in one night little neat bow. For that, we truly appreciated this sport.

Here’s a rundown of what else happened on Tuesday.

Thomas dropped 53 points during a playoff game in The Garden. He’s not a Boston Celtics point guard anymore; he’s a legend now.

In his 53, the most points scored in the playoffs since 2003, he scored 20 points in the fourth quarter alone as Boston soared back to force overtime. In the extra period, he dropped nine more. With each shot he hit, it felt increasingly like we were watching something truly special. When he did all that and carried the team to a 129-119 win to go up 2-0 in a second-round playoff series, it immortalized this moment.

And as if it didn’t already feel like a perfect moment, you can consider this, too.

In theory, Utah is a team that could bother Golden State, but in reality, there wasn’t much the Jazz could do. Not against an offense that executed with 49 percent shooting from the field and 32 assists on 40 made field goals, and not when they turned the ball over just seven times. When Rudy Gobert was cooked by Curry, it was a startling reminder that even the best laid plans, even ones involving a center you hoped you briefly stay with your perimeter player in a desperation move.

This series isn’t over by any means, but it doesn’t feel like there’s much drama, either. We know how favored the Warriors will be, regardless. Golden State can crush you in a hundred different ways, and they did exactly that against Utah to open up the series.

This was a very physical game right from the get-go. Morris threw Al Horford out of bounds early on as he wasn’t too fond of him landing under his foot in Game 1 and that set the tone. Boston left the Wizards with bumps and bruises as Porter got a bloody nose, Oubre dinged in the chin, and the entire team getting out-muscled on the glass.

The Wizards will need to be the more physical team in Game 3 if they have any shot to win that one.

This, from Celtics Blog, was one of Washington’s problems in their Game 2 loss and two-games-to-zero series deficit.

Steph didn’t deserve this.

Celtics 129, Wizards 119 (Celtics Blog recap | Bullets Forever recap)

Warriors 106, Jazz 94 (Golden State of Mind recap | SLC Dunk recap)