Washington Wizards (16-49) at Boston Celtics (43-23)Saturday, March 14, 20266:00 PM ETRegular Season Recreation #67 House Recreation #32TV: NBCSB, MNMT2, NBA-TVRadio: 98.5 Sports activities Hub, 106.7 The Fan, Sirius XMTD Backyard
The Celtics host the Washington Wizards for the third, and closing, assembly between these two groups this season. The Celtics beat the Wizards 136-107 in Boston on November 5 and hey beat them 146-101 in Washington on December 4. The Celtics received the collection 4-0 final season successful 1 recreation at house and three video games on the street. The Celtics are 208-120 total in opposition to the Wizards all time. They’re 109-44 all time in video games performed in Boston. The Celtics have received their final 10 video games in opposition to the Wizards.
The Wizards made vital adjustments on the commerce deadline. They traded Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum to the Atlanta Hawks for Trae Younger. Additionally they traded Khris Middleton, Malachai Branham, Marvin Bagley III, and AJ Johnson to the Mavericks for Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Jaden Hardy and Dante Exum. They then waived Dante Exum.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, 4.5 video games behind 1st place Detroit. They’re 1.5 video games forward of third place New York , 3 video games forward of 4th place Cleveland, 5.5 video games forward of fifth place Orlando and sixth place Miami and 6.5 video games forward of seventh place Toronto. The Celtics are 28-14 in opposition to Jap Convention opponents. They’re 21-10 at house and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’ve misplaced their final 2 video games. (The Pistons, Knicks, Cavs, and Raptors are taking part in as I write this so which will change.)
The Wizards are 14th within the East, 31 video games behind 1st place Detroit, 17 video games behind tenth place Charlotte, 11 video games behind eleventh place Milwaukee, 10.5 video games behind twelfth place Chicago, and half a recreation behind thirteenth place Brooklyn. They’re 1.5 video games forward of fifteenth place Indiana. They’re 11-30 in opposition to Jap Convention opponents. They’re 5-27 on the street and 0-10 of their final 10 video games. They’re on a ten recreation shedding streak.
After this recreation at house in opposition to Washington, the Celtics will host Phoenix and Golden State. Then they may play one recreation at Memphis earlier than a 3 recreation house stand in opposition to Minnesota, Oklahoma Metropolis and Atlanta. Then it’s again on the street for a 4 recreation journey by Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami and Milwaukee. They are going to then play two video games at house in opposition to Toronto and Charlotte earlier than one recreation on the street at New York. They are going to end the season with 2 video games at house in opposition to New Orleans and Orlando.
The Wizards are taking part in within the 4th recreation of a 4 recreation street journey. After this, they may have a 4 recreation house stand the place they may host Golden State, Detroit twice, and Oklahoma Metropolis. Then, they’ve a 5 recreation street journey by New York, Utah, Golden State, Portland and the LA Lakers. After one recreation at house in opposition to Philadelphia, they play at Miami and at Brooklyn.
Jayson Tatum missed Thursday’s recreation as a result of harm administration for his Achilles. He’s anticipated to play on this recreation. Derrick White additionally missed Thursday’s recreation with knee soreness and is possible for this recreation. Baylor Scheierman has been taking part in with a fractured thumb however is listed as possible for this recreation with ankle soreness. Nikola Vucevic stays out as a result of surgical procedure on his injured finger.
For the Wizards, Anthony Davis is recovering from ligament harm in his left hand and, though he has been cleared for some particular person on court docket exercise, he’s out for this recreation. Kyshawn George is out with a partial tear of the UCL in his left elbow. Cam Whitmore is out for the season with a identified venous situation. D’Angelo Russell has not performed for the Wizards since he was traded however it isn’t harm associated and he’s not with the group. Sharife Cooper is questionable with an ankle harm.
Possible Beginning MatchupsPG: Derrick White vs Trae Younger
SG: Baylor Scheierman vs Tre Johnson
SF: Jaylen Brown vs Bilal Coulibaly
PF: Jayson Tatum vs Will Riley
C: Neemias Queta vs Alex Sarr
Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardHugo GonzalezLuka GarzaAmare WilliamsJordan WalshSam Hauser2-Means PlayersRon Harper, JrMax ShulgaJohn TonjeInjuries/OutNikola Vucevic (finger) outDerrick White (knee) probableJayson Tatum (harm availableBaylor Scheierman (ankle) probableHead CoachJoe MazzullaWizards ReservesBub CarringtonAnthony GillJaden HardyTristan VukcevicJamir WatkinsJustin Champagnie2-Means PlayersLeaky BlackSharife CooperJuju Reese
Accidents/OutSharife Cooper (ankle) questionableAnthony Davis (finger) outKyshawn George (elbow) outD’Angelo Russell (not harm associated) outCam Whitmore (shoulder) out
Key MatchupsDerrick White vs Trae YoungYoung is averaging 18.2 factors, 1.8 rebounds and eight.4 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 43.9% from the sector and 32.9% from past the arc. He has not performed in opposition to the Celtics this season with the Hawks or with the Wizards. He has averaged 25.6 factors, 3.3 rebounds, and seven.5 assists in 15 video games in opposition to the Celtics in his profession.
Neemias Queta vs Alex SarrSarr was the 2nd total choose in final 12 months’s draft and is taking part in nicely for the Wizards. He’s averaging 17.2 factors, 7.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and a pair of.0 blocks per recreation. He’s capturing 49.9% from the sector and 34.6% from past the arc. In a single recreation in opposition to the Celtics this season, he completed with 31 factors, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and three blocks. The Celtics want to stick with him on protection and likewise hold hm off the boards in addition to concentrate on his capability to dam photographs.Honorable MentionBaylor Scheierman vs Tre JohnsonJohnson is averaging 12.5 factors, 2.9 rebounds, and a pair of.0 assists. He’s capturing 42.9% from the sector and 37.7% from past the arc. In a single recreation in opposition to the Celtics this season, he completed with 7 factors, 1 rebound, and 1 help whereas capturing 40% from the sector and 50% from past the arc,.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is all the time the important thing to successful video games. The Celtics are actually fifth with a defensive score of 111.9. The Wizards are twenty ninth with a defensive score of 120.5. Though the Wizards have an offensive score of 109.6 (twenty seventh), they’ll get scorching at any time if they aren’t being defended. They beat the Pistons on the street and so the Celtics have to take them significantly and play lock down protection from begin to end and never permit them to get their offense going.
Rebound – Rebounding can be one of many largest keys to successful. The Wizards are twenty third with 42.9 rebounds per recreation whereas the Celtics are fifth with 46.3 rebounds per recreation. They merely should combat more durable to seize rebounds than the Wizards. A lot of rebounding is effort as evidenced by Payton Pritchard being the shortest man on the court docket most nights and averaging over 4 rebounds per recreation. Each Celtic has obtained to crash the boards and combat for each rebound.
Don’t Underestimate – The Wizards are subsequent to final within the East and actively tanking. The Celtics can’t take the Wizards without any consideration, although they beat them handily twice already this season. Even tanking groups need to beat the Celtics. The Wizards wins have come largely in opposition to center of the pack groups, however they did beat Detroit as nicely. The Celtics should take the Wizards significantly and play exhausting.
Most Effort for 48 Minutes – Most of the Celtics losses this season will be traced again to a scarcity of effort. Additionally, at instances it appears that evidently they both begin off slowly and find yourself in a gap that they should dig themselves out of or they leap out to a lead solely to let up within the second half and permit their opponent to get again into the sport and make it shut. The Celtics should play exhausting on each ends of the court docket for the total 48 minutes with no let up.
X-FactorsHome Recreation – The Celtics are as soon as once more at house. They need to get a lift from the house crowd and from being in acquainted environment. The Celtics have to have a way of urgency at house to guard house court docket and never anticipate to win as a result of the Wizards have been tanking. The Wizards should take care of journey, staying in a resort, and a hostile crowd and hopefully that can give the Celtics the benefit.
Officiating – Officiating is all the time an x-factor in each recreation. Each crew officiates in a different way. Some name it tight, others allow them to play. Some favor the house group. Some favor the street group. Some simply make unhealthy, head scratching calls as now we have seen many instances. The ejection of Jaylen Brown and the foulcalled with .8 left in opposition to the Thunder are examples of how officiating will be an x-factor. The Celtics want to regulate to the way in which the refs name the sport and never let unhealthy calls and no calls take them out of the sport or have an effect on their focus.
