Pre-Game WAS

Probably should have posted this last night or yesterday given the early start at 1pm today.  My bad!

It is really hard to garner any momentum when your team wins one or two, then losses one or two, etc ad nauseum.  Remember back in the old days when we started 8-3?!!  

I honestly don't know what to predict on this game or who is going to show up beyond J-Squared.  Line/spread is giving us far more than we deserve at BOS -6.5.

When is Marcus coming back?!!!  He's always been the glue.  Every time he is out for an extended period, and those have been few and far between, we conclude the same thing....HEDAHMAN!!

Good news is for all our woes and the lackluster 20-game marker start, PHI couldn't get passed PHX either.  Nor could MIL get passed the Jazz.  Result?  Check out the standings.  We're still only 3 games back in the loss column from first place.  That's em-effing ridiculous, Gus!!  (That's an EASY one from the 80's!!)  That's great news!!  OK, pacifying at best but it's still very significant!!  That's the East.  We haven't completely severed our hands off yet!  For the love of God, please don't give these gracious gifts back today against WAS!!!

db

P.S. bobh - for the acronymically challenged, I need a refresher on translation for SEGABABA!! My bad!!

a chance for Celtics fans to watch Beal up close....since rumors have it Ainge wants him and all.

I see NO WAY Ainge could snag Beal unless he'd trade brown for him myself (hard no from me), but the rumors persist.

I mean a Beal for Brown and Grant works cap wise and all and then Bertans for the TPE in another deal.

But I don't think that makes the Celtics better nor do i think the Wizards would move them both for just that.

SEGABABA = SEcond GAme of a BAck to BAck.

kdp59 wrote:a chance for Celtics fans to watch Beal up close....since rumors have it Ainge wants him and all.

I see NO WAY Ainge could snag Beal unless he'd trade brown for him myself (hard no from me), but the rumors persist.

I mean a Beal for Brown and Grant works cap wise and all and then Bertans for the TPE in another deal.

But I don't think that makes the Celtics better nor do i think the Wizards would move them both for just that.

Hey I would trade Kemba for Beal, any takers

Anyway I am already on record several times saying Ainge will not make a move at all because he just does not want to. I think he had the opportunities and he did not take them. Would be cool if he could admit how wrong his offseason moves were and try to ship Jet and TT for some better supporting cast. But again, not betting on it.

Actually wouldn't Kemba for KAT work too

Celtics aim to stay above .500 mark vs. Wizards

https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-aim-stay-above-500-221437178.html

Sat, February 13, 2021, 5:14 PM

The Boston Celtics will seek to avoid dropping back to .500 for the first time since Jan. 1 when they visit the Washington Wizards on Sunday afternoon.

The Celtics were a season-best five games over .500 at 8-3 one month ago, but have since lost nine of 14, including six of nine on the road.

They fell to 12-11 after their most recent road loss, 122-108 at Utah on Tuesday, before avoiding falling to .500 with a 120-106 home win over Toronto on Thursday.

However, they were beaten 108-102 at home by the Detroit Pistons on Friday and now stand at 13-12 as they embark on the only road outing in a stretch of five of six at home.

The Celtics started Payton Pritchard and Semi Ojeleye in the backcourt against Detroit with Marcus Smart (strained calf) injured and Kemba Walker resting.

Walker is expected to play against the Wizards, but Ojeleye isn't after he had to leave Friday's game with a sore right knee.

Jaylen Brown scored 27 points in 36 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back against the Pistons after Celtics president Danny Ainge cautioned the club would be careful with the emerging star, who has struggled of late with tendinitis in his patella tendon.

"It's a very common thing among NBA players," Ainge said of the injury. "We'll just keep tabs on it the best we can and try to get the best version of Jaylen that we can have."

The Celtics have another back-to-back scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday, with Denver and Atlanta visiting.

Brown had 27 points and Jayson Tatum 32 when the Celtics won at home over the Wizards last month. Brown's game-high 13 rebounds helped Boston gain a 49-38 dominance on the boards.

Bradley Beal went for 41 points in the loss, two nights after exploding for 60 at Philadelphia. He has since scored 30 or more points in nine of 12 games but was held to 24 on 8-for-20 shooting in a home loss to Toronto on Wednesday and was rested Friday against the New York Knicks.

Beal is expected to play Sunday as trade rumors continue to swirl. He was clearly frustrated when interviewed after the loss to Toronto, during which he shot 1-for-6 on 3-pointers and the Wizards finished 12-for-41.

"Gravity," he responded when asked what the problem had been on the long-range shots. "Gravity just isn't on our side. Something's in the air. Maybe if I play on the damn moon, shots are gonna go in."

Russell Westbrook missed a triple-double by one rebound (23 points, 10 assists) in Friday's 109-91 home loss to the Knicks. Making his first start, Garrison Mathews had 14 points in Beal's place.

The Celtics haven't played at Washington in more than a year, having lost 99-94 last January in the clubs' only meeting in the nation's capital last season.

With Beal out of action with a leg injury that night, Ish Smith paced the Wizards with 27 points.

--Field Level Media

Beal and Tatum clash in Washington-Boston matchup

https://www.espn.com/nba/preview?gameId=401282752

Boston Celtics (13-12, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Washington Wizards (6-17, 15th in the Eastern Conference)

Washington; Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: A pair of the league's top scorers, Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum, meet when Washington and Boston square off. Beal is first in the NBA averaging 32.8 points per game and Tatum is 10th in the league averaging 26.6 points per game.

The Wizards are 4-13 in conference games. Washington is 1-11 when outrebounded by opponents and averages 43.9 rebounds per game.

The Celtics are 10-7 against Eastern Conference opponents. Boston is seventh in the Eastern Conference with 12.3 fast break points per game led by Jaylen Brown averaging 4.7.

The two teams play for the second time this season. The Celtics defeated the Wizards 116-107 in their last meeting on Jan. 8. Tatum led Boston with 32 points, and Beal paced Washington scoring 41 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Beal is averaging 32.8 points and 4.5 assists for the Wizards. Robin Lopez is shooting 60.9% and averaging 8.7 points over the last 10 games for Washington.

Tatum ranks second on the Celtics averaging 4.5 assists while scoring 26.6 points per game. Brown is averaging 18.9 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 37.1% over the last 10 games for Boston.

LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 3-7, averaging 108.2 points, 44 rebounds, 22.8 assists, 6.8 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 42.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.6 points on 47.5% shooting.

Celtics: 4-6, averaging 108.2 points, 42.4 rebounds, 21.4 assists, 7.4 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.3 points on 47.9% shooting.

INJURIES: Wizards: Ish Smith: day to day (quad), Thomas Bryant: out for season (left knee).

Celtics: Romeo Langford: out (right wrist), Robert Williams III: out (left hip), Semi Ojeleye: day to day (knee), Marcus Smart: out (calf).

Vankisa wrote:

kdp59 wrote:a chance for Celtics fans to watch Beal up close....since rumors have it Ainge wants him and all.

I see NO WAY Ainge could snag Beal unless he'd trade brown for him myself (hard no from me), but the rumors persist.

I mean a Beal for Brown and Grant works cap wise and all and then Bertans for the TPE in another deal.

But I don't think that makes the Celtics better nor do i think the Wizards would move them both for just that.

Hey I would trade Kemba for Beal, any takers

Anyway I am already on record several times saying Ainge will not make a move at all because he just does not want to. I think he had the opportunities and he did not take them. Would be cool if he could admit how wrong his offseason moves were and try to ship Jet and TT for some better supporting cast. But again, not betting on it.

Actually wouldn't Kemba for KAT work too

I agree with you and yes Kemba for KAT or most anyone under contract in the NBA works cap wise. There is that problem of Kemba not being a viable trade piece now though.

RWill and Semi are both supposed to play and boy do we need them.

Bullets got nothing

if we lose this one , something is seriously amiss in Celtic land

kdp59 wrote:Bullets got nothing

if we lose this one , something is seriously amiss in Celtic land

True.

Beal will put on a good show. Other than him and Westbrook there's not that much there.

Hopefully a Celtic confidence booster.

Thanks, gyso, for the acronym assist! I was making it much harder than it was!!

db