The Celtics shut out the season by internet hosting the Washington Wizards. That is the 4th and closing recreation 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 total 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 residence 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 recreation.
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 recreation forward of fifteenth place Detroit. The Wizards are 8-32 on the street 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 can have residence court docket benefit all through the playoffs. The one crew within the league with extra losses than the Wizards is the Pistons. The Pistons are simply 1 recreation forward of the Wizards within the race for the first choose within the draft. The Wizards will probably fairly lose this recreation than win it.
The highest 6 gamers for the Celtics sat out Friday’s recreation with numerous accidents and all 6 are as soon as once more anticipated to overlook this recreation. 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 recreation. I’ve listed the identical starters as they began on Friday, though Joe could begin a totally totally different lineup or he could even begin the Maine Celtics.
The Wizards even have an extended record of gamers on the damage record. Marvin Bagley III (knee), Bilal Coulibaly (wrist), Tyus Jones (again), Kyle Kuzma (ankle), and Landry Shamet (calf) are all listed as out for this recreation. Tristan Vucevic (ankle), Anthony Gill (knee), Richaun Holmes, and Jordan Poole (sickness) are all listed as questionable and will likely be a recreation time determination. I’ve listed the beginning lineup from their final recreation as effectively. If Jordan Poole is ready to play, I anticipate him to return to the beginning lineup.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesOshae BrissettXavier TillmanJordan WalshNeemias Queta
2 Method 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 Method 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
Picture by Brian Fluharty/Getty Photos
Deni Avdija
Picture by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Photos
Jaden Springer vs Deni AvdijaAvdija is averaging 14.8 factors, 7.3 rebounds, and three.8 assists per recreation. 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 recreation whereas capturing 52% from the sphere and 41.2% from past the arc.
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Payton Pritchard
Picture by Brian Fluharty/Getty Photos
Corey Kispert
Picture by Stephen Gosling/NBAE through Getty Photos
Payton Pritchard vs Corey KispertKispert is averaging 13.4 factors, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per recreation. 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 recreation 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 recreation. 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 recreation 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 profitable. The Celtics have to 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 recreation. The Celtics have to make protection their precedence and their id to be able to win each recreation and to win a championship. The Celtics are 2nd with a defensive ranking of 110.5 whereas the Wizards are thirty eighth with a defensive ranking of 118.8.The Celtics have to proceed to make protection a precedence and their id.
Rebound – It’s essential for groups to rebound to provide themselves additional possessions and to restrict their opponents’ possessions. A lot of rebounding is effort and hustle and when the Celtics give additional effort and hustle on the boards, it normally interprets into the remainder of their recreation. The Celtics are 2nd within the league with 46.3 rebounds per recreation whereas the Wizards are twenty ninth within the league with 41.1 rebounds per recreation. 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 recreation 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 and play additional minutes due to the Celtics being quick handed. All of them have to play onerous and to remain centered on each ends of the court docket.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to be the extra aggressive crew. They should 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 recreation. They’ll win quite a lot of video games by taking part in tougher than their opponents they usually can lose quite a lot of video games by permitting their opponents to be the crew that performs tougher.
X-Elements House Recreation – The Celtics are as soon as once more at residence. 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 residence to guard residence court docket and never anticipate to win as a result of the Wizards haven’t been good this season. In any case, these Wizards lately beat the Bucks. Additionally the Wizards should cope with journey, staying in a resort, and a hostile crowd and hopefully that may give the Celtics a bonus.
Officiating – Officiating is at all times an x-factor in each recreation. Each crew officiates otherwise. Some name it tight, others allow them to play. Some favor the house crew. Some favor the street crew. Some simply make unhealthy, head scratching calls as we now have seen many instances. And typically, as within the Bucks recreation, 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.
