Preview: Washington At Boston
When: 7:30 PM ET, Friday, November 27, 2015
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
When the Washington Wizards lose they tend to do so in an impressive manner. After another meltdown – this time in historic fashion – the Wizards will try to bounce back when they visit Boston on Friday night.
Washington was held to six points in the fourth quarter – a franchise-low for the final 12 minutes – in an ugly 101-87 setback at Charlotte on Wednesday, its fifth straight loss that has come by 14 points or more. “We start feeling sorry, start pouting and putting our heads down,” Wizards coach Randy Wittman said. “It just becomes a snowball. We got to grow up in that aspect of it.” One of Washington’s blowout losses took place at Boston on Nov. 6, when the Celtics scored 72 first-half points en route to a 118-98 victory. That began Boston’s 7-4 surge, which includes a comeback 84-80 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday at home.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), CSN New England (Boston)
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (6-6): Wednesday’s collapse prompted some reaction from Wittman’s players, particularly star guard John Wall, who wondered why both he and backcourt mate Bradley Beal were out of the game to begin the final period. “I feel like we can’t have me and Brad sitting,” Wall told reporters after recording 14 points, six steals and six assists. “That’s just my opinion. Coach makes the decision he feels is best for us. I just feel like one of us has to be in in that situation because when you’re on the road, this is the time when you can step on them.” Wall had 13 points on 6-of-17 shooting and a season high-tying eight turnovers in the earlier loss to the Celtics.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (8-7): Boston rallied from 11 points down in the closing minutes to knock off the winless 76ers, surviving a season-low 34.1 percent effort from the floor to avoid an embarrassing defeat. “You guys know how much of a disappointment it would have been,” forward Jae Crowder told reporters. “Very, very, very disappointing to all of us, coaches and players.” Crowder and fellow frontcourt starters Jared Sullinger and Amir Johnson have each put forth three straight single-digit scoring efforts, combining to shoot a woeful 22-for-62 in the process.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Sullinger (21 points) and fellow C Kelly Olynyk (19) both had season highs in scoring in the earlier meeting with the Wizards.
2. Washington ranks 24th in the NBA with 15.8 turnovers per game. Boston is 25th (16.1).
3. Wizards PG Gary Neal has hit 7-of-11 3-pointers while averaging 20.5 points in his last two games.
PREDICTION: Celtics 109, Wizards 105