Washington Wizards head coach Scott Brooks praised Rui Hachimura for "one of his best games of the year" Sunday after the second-year forward contributed 15 points and solid defense in a 104-91 win over the Boston Celtics.
The Wizards outworked last year's Eastern Conference finalists at Capital One Arena in their second meeting of the season, with Hachimura helping hold Boston's All-Star forward Jayson Tatum to just 6 points.
The 23-year-old from Toyama Prefecture had been working to improve his defensive versatility and eliminate a bad habit of giving opposing shooters too much room, with his efforts paying off, Brooks said.