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Highlights Video :
Washington Wizards vs. Boston Celtics Lineups, Preview & Prediction 1/24/17
Two of the top five teams in the NBA's Eastern Conference will face off in D.C. on Tuesday night.
One of the more quiet, but effective seasons from a point guard belongs to Wizards point guard, John Wall. Wall is averaging 23 points, ten assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in 2016/17. Much like Boston, the Wizards are primarily led by their point guard, but they possess other weapons that make a well-rounded unit. The other member of their backcourt, Bradley Beal, is averaging a career-high 21.7 points per game for the year. Otto Porter Jr., Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat are three other Wizards that average in double figures. Washington currently sits in fifth place in the East.
One thing to note about these two teams would be the difference in bench depth. After Washington's starting five, they lack sufficient firepower off the bench. Marcus Thornton may be the best player that the Wizards have on their bench and he is only averaging 6.6 points per contest. Boston brings two players off the bench that average more points per game than Thornton. This will be something to watch for during their Tuesday night showdown.
Many avid NBA fans believe that Isaiah Thomas was slighted by not garnering a start in the upcoming All-Star game. The 5'9'' guard has been playing at an MVP-type level for much of the season, averaging 29 points, six assists and almost three rebounds per contest. Boston currently sits in third place in the Eastern Conference. They are led primarily by Thomas, but Boston's supporting cast has been very effective through the first half of the season. Avery Bradley, Al Horford and Jae Crowder are all scoring over 13 points per contest to help Thomas' cause.
Boston will head to Washington on a two-game skid after losing to both the Blazers and Knicks. They'll see a Wizards team that has won five of their last six games. Washington's only loss over that stretch came in Detroit on Saturday in a 113-112 defeat. Both teams are pretty evenly matched with Boston averaging 107 points per game, while the Wizards average 106. Neither team is great on defense; both squads are in the bottom half of the league in scoring defense (Boston - 18th, Washington - 22nd).
Keys to the Game
Washington Wizards
- Point guard battle: Two of the best point guards in the East will battle in this game. Isaiah Thomas has a slight edge in production this season, but if John Wall can bear down and play some great defense on Thomas, the Wiz will have a good shot.
- Third scoring option: After John Wall and Bradley Beal, the Wizards sometimes struggle to get another significant scoring contribution from their supporting cast. Markieff Morris and Otto Porter Jr. are both capable, but they don't always bring that to the table. They'll need it from at least one of them to beat Boston.
Boston Celtics
- Under 114: In the Celtics' last nine games, they have held their opponents to below 114 points six times. They won all of those games. The three instances where they allowed 114, 117 and 127? They lost.
- Keeping cool: If you're a Celtics or Wizards fan, you may recall the scuffle that occurred between these same two teams on January 11. Jae Crowder and John Wall got into it near the end of that game. It's highly unlikely that this will carry over to Tuesday night, but it just might.
Projected Wizards starting lineup
PG John Wall, SG Bradley Beal, SF Otto Porter Jr., PF Markieff Morris, C Marcin Gortat.
Projected Celtics starting lineup
PG Isaiah Thomas, SG Avery Bradley, SF Jae Crowder, PF Amir Johnson, C Al Horford.
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