The Celtics shut out the season by internet hosting the Washington Wizards. That is the 4th and ultimate sport between these two groups this season. The Celtics are 3-0 towards the Wizards to date. They gained 126-107 at Washington on 10/30, 133-129 at Boston on 2/9 and 130-104 at Washington on 3/17. The Celtics went 2-1 towards Washington final season. Boston is 201-120 general all time and 106-44 all time in Boston.
The Celtics are first within the East. They’re 14 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 15 video games forward of third place new York, 15 video games forward of 4th place Cleveland, 17 video games forward of fifth place Orlando, 17 video games forward of sixth place Indiana and 17 video games forward of seventh place Philadelphia. They’re 36-4 at house and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 40-11 towards Japanese Convention groups and they’re coming off a win of their final sport.
The Wizards are 14th within the East. They’re 48 video games behind 1st place Boston and 4 video games behind thirteenth place Charlotte. They’re simply 1 sport forward of fifteenth place Detroit. The Wizards are 8-32 on the highway and 2-8 of their final 10 video games. Their 2 wins have been over the Bulls and the Bucks. They’re 11-40 towards Japanese Convention opponents. They’ve misplaced their final 5 video games.
As soon as once more, the Celtics don’t have anything to play for. They’re locked into first place within the league and may have house court docket benefit all through the playoffs. The one staff within the league with extra losses than the Wizards is the Pistons. The Pistons are simply 1 sport forward of the Wizards within the race for the first decide within the draft. The Wizards will possible quite lose this sport than win it.
The highest 6 gamers for the Celtics sat out Friday’s sport with varied accidents and all 6 are as soon as once more anticipated to overlook this sport. Derrick White (ankle), Al Horford (toe), Jayson Tatum (relaxation), Kristaps Porzingis (relaxation) Jrue Vacation (knee) and Jaylen Brown (relaxation) are all listed as out for this sport. I’ve listed the identical starters as they began on Friday, though Joe might begin a totally completely different lineup or he might even begin the Maine Celtics.
The Wizards even have a protracted checklist of gamers on the harm checklist. Marvin Bagley III (knee), Bilal Coulibaly (wrist), Tyus Jones (again), Kyle Kuzma (ankle), and Landry Shamet (calf) are all listed as out for this sport. Tristan Vucevic (ankle), Anthony Gill (knee), Richaun Holmes, and Jordan Poole (sickness) are all listed as questionable and will probably be a sport time resolution. I’ve listed the beginning lineup from their final sport as effectively. If Jordan Poole is ready to play, I count on him to return to the beginning lineup.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesOshae BrissettXavier TillmanJordan WalshNeemias Queta
2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonDrew Peterson
Accidents/OutJayson Tatum (relaxation) out Al Horford (toe) outDerrick White (ankle) outKristaps Porzingis (relaxation) out Jaylen Brown (relaxation) out Jrue Vacation (ankle) out
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Wizards Starters
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Wizards Reserves Jared ButlerEugene Omoruyi
Two Manner Gamers Jared ButlerJustin Champagnie
Accidents/Out Marvin Bagley III (knee) out Bilal Coulibaly (wrist) outAnthony Gill (knee) questionableRichaun Holmes (toe) questionable Tyus Jones (again) out Kyle Kuzma (ankle) out Jordan Poole (sickness) questionable Landry Shamet (calf) out Tristan Vucevic (ankle) questionable
Head Coach Brian Keefe (interim)
Key Matchups
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Jaden Springer vs Deni AvdijaAvdija is averaging 14.8 factors, 7.3 rebounds, and three.8 assists per sport. He’s capturing 50.9% from the sphere and 37.8% from past the arc. In 3 video games towards the Celtics this season, he averaged 12.3 factors, 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.5 steal per sport whereas capturing 52% from the sphere and 41.2% from past the arc.
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Payton Pritchard vs Corey KispertKispert is averaging 13.4 factors, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per sport. He’s capturing 48.8% from the sphere and 38.7% from past the arc. In 3 video games towards the Celtics this season, he averaged 12.3 factors, 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1 steal per sport whereas capturing 52% from the sphere and 41.2% from past the arc.
Honorable MentionLuke Kornet vs Tristan VucevicVucevic is averaging 8.5 factors, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per sport. He’s capturing 43.3% from the sphere and 27.8% from past the arc. He didn’t play in any of the three video games towards the Celtics this season. Vucevic is questionable for this sport so he could also be out and one other participant will begin right here.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is at all times the important thing to successful. The Celtics must defend the paint with out letting up on their perimeter protection. The Wizards are third within the league, averaging 54.7 factors within the paint per sport. The Celtics must make protection their precedence and their id so as to win each sport and to win a championship. The Celtics are 2nd with a defensive score of 110.5 whereas the Wizards are thirty eighth with a defensive score of 118.8.The Celtics must proceed to make protection a precedence and their id.
Rebound – It’s vital for groups to rebound to provide themselves further possessions and to restrict their opponents’ possessions. A lot of rebounding is effort and hustle and when the Celtics give further effort and hustle on the boards, it often interprets into the remainder of their sport. The Celtics are 2nd within the league with 46.3 rebounds per sport whereas the Wizards are twenty ninth within the league with 41.1 rebounds per sport. Every participant must decide to crashing the boards and going after each rebound on each ends of the court docket.
Subsequent Man Up – As soon as once more, the 5 starters and Al Horford will all be out this sport and so the keep prepared group must be able to step up as soon as once more of their place. A few of them might want to begin and others might want to are available in and play further minutes due to the Celtics being brief handed. All of them must play laborious and to remain targeted on each ends of the court docket.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics must be the extra aggressive staff. They must be extra aggressive in going after unfastened balls, in grabbing rebounds, in defending, and in going to the basket. They should hustle and be aggressive for 48 minutes each sport. They’ll win lots of video games by enjoying tougher than their opponents they usually can lose lots of video games by permitting their opponents to be the staff that performs tougher.
X-Components House 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 must have a way of urgency at house to guard house court docket and never count on to win as a result of the Wizards haven’t been good this season. In spite of everything, these Wizards lately beat the Bucks. Additionally the Wizards must cope with journey, staying in a resort, and a hostile crowd and hopefully that can give the Celtics a bonus.
Officiating – Officiating is at all times an x-factor in each sport. Each crew officiates in a different way. Some name it tight, others allow them to play. Some favor the house staff. Some favor the highway staff. Some simply make unhealthy, head scratching calls as now we have seen many instances. And generally, as within the Bucks sport, they don’t blow the whistle in any respect. 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.
