7:00 PM EST, TNT – Line: Wizards -6.5, Over/Under: 205
Brown and Tatum have had to assume a much larger role now that Irving and Smart have been declared out for the Playoffs after both players underwent Surgery to repair respective injuries.
With the Playoffs set to kick off over the Weekend, we get both a rematch from last year’s Postseason and a potential First Round Preview as the Boston Celtics travel to the Nation’s Capital to face the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center, in Washington, D.C. In their penultimate game of the Regular Season, the Celtics (54-26, 2nd in Eastern Conference) find themselves in a proverbial No-Man’s Land, having clinched the No. Two Seed in the East, while Brad Stevens and his Staff try to once again reconfigure the Rotation in an attempt to compensate for another series of significant injuries. After traversing throughout the entirety of the campaign without key Free Agent Acquisition Gordon Hayward, who suffered a gruesome foot injury in the Season Opener, Boston was dealt an even bigger blow when it was pronounced that All-Star Point Guard and leading scorer Kyrie Irving (24.4 PTS, 491% FG, 40.8% 3FG, 3.8 REB, 5.1 AST, 1.1 STL, 25.0 PER) was to be shut down for the remainder of the term, including the Playoffs, in order to rehab from knee surgery. Initially, the faithful in Beantown held out hopes that the crown jewel would return in time for the Postseason, though Stevens confirmed everyone’s fear when he dropped the news last week that his side would indeed be without the 2-Time NBA Champion’s services. Needless to say, this is quite the turn of events for the Celtics, who have in many ways overachieved throughout the campaign without Hayward, though forecasting their success in the Playoffs will be arduous without Irving. The issue that immediately comes to mind is on the offensive end. Simply put, the 5-Time All-Star is their most effective offensive weapon, and one of the only number in the Rotation that can create his own shot, which is going to be a major problem for a unit that has struggled mightily in this regard thus far. On the season, Boston has ranked in the league’s bottom third in a variety of categories, including Points (104.0, 22nd Overall), Field Goal Percentage (45.1%, 21st Overall), and Assists (22.5, 20th Overall), along with key efficiency statistics such as Offensive Rebound Percentage (21.2%, 21st Overall) and Free-Throw/Field Goal Attempt Ratio (18.8%, 20th Overall). However, the Celtics have managed to go 12-6 this season without Irving in the Lineup, including 7-4 since he underwent surgery, thanks in large part to their quality Depth, consisting of young, promising talents such as Jaylen Brown (14.3 PTS, 46.5% FG, 38.9% 3FG, 5.0 REB, 1.6 AST, 1.0 STL, 13.5 PER), Terry Rozier (11.3 PTS, 39.8% FG, 38.5% 3FG, 4.7 REB, 2.9 AST, 1.0 STL, 15.3 PER), and Rookie Swingman Jayson Tatum (13.9 PTS, 47.8% FG, 43.1% 3FG, 5.1 REB, 1.6 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.7 BLK, 15.3 PER). Each of them have raised their level of play over the past few weeks, though it remains to be seen if they can maintain such consistency once the Playoffs begin, for that is very much a different animal than the Regular Season, for Rotations become shorter, the Pace slows down with the game itself becoming more physical, while opponents will adjust to your strengths in the context of a Series. And in all honesty, that could be where Stevens’ charges could be effected the most, for there just aren’t many players in this Rotation that have much Playoff Experience; after their whirlwind of an Offseason that saw the departures of Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and Kelly Olynyk, you’d be hard-pressed to recognize many of the faces that will be suiting up in Green and White this Weekend, particularly with Hayward, Irving, and (also) Marcus Smart (10.2 PTS, 36.7% FG, 30.1% 3FG, 3.5 REB, 4.8 AST, 1.3 STL, 10.8 PER), who is rehabbing from a Broken Thumb. They’ll have to rely upon the leadership of veterans such as Al Horford (12.9 PTS, 49.1% FG, 43.5% 3FG, 7.3 REB, 4.7 AST, 0.6 STL, 1.1 BLK, 17.6 PER) more so than ever before, as opponents (such as the Wizards) look to angle their way into a potential First Round meeting with them, like sharks smelling blood in the water…
With Wall finally back in the Lineup after missing over 20 Games with a knee injury, the Wizards must work him back into the Rotation before the Playoffs begin.
Meanwhile, as we intimated earlier, one has to wonder if the Wizards (42-38, 7th in Eastern Conference) are just doing everything in their power to ensure a meeting with the wounded Celtics in the First Round of the Playoffs, for how else could they justify their recent miserable form? After falling short in a dramatic SeLosers of eight of their last ten outings, including each of their last six, Washington certainly isn’t coasting into the Postseason with much momentum, even with the return of a healthy John Wall (19.2 PTS, 41.6% FG, 35.8% 3FG, 3.6 REB, 9.5 AST, 1.4 STL, 1.1 BLK, 18.8 PER) to the Rotation. The 5-Time All-Star Point Guard missed Twenty-Seven Consecutive Games rehabbing from Knee Surgery before returning on March 31st, though it has been far from smooth transition, integrating the Floor General back into the Rotation. Rumblings in the Lockerroom about Chemistry have long been brewing in the Nations’ Capital, while Scott Brooks himself called his team “selfish” after their 119-115 collapse last week to the Cavaliers. After overcoming a 39-26 deficit in the Second Quarter, the visiting Wizards led by as many as Eight Points in the Fourth Quarter, only to turn ice cold down the stretch, allowing the home side to rally back for the victory. Wall, in particular, was very noticeable in the game’s finale, dribbling around before pulling up for a contested jumper on back-to-back possessions, as Cleveland immediately pounced on the opportunity on the opposite end. In a way, the performance was indicative of his and (by extension) the team’s this season; the numbers will show that Washington shot the ball well (50.0%), knocked down 9-of-21 from Downtown (42.9%), while sharing the Basketball (34 Assists) and limiting their mistakes (15 Turnovers), with Wall scoring a team-high Twenty-Eight Points on 10-of-20 Shooting (50.0%), dishing out Fourteen Assists, along with Four rebounds, and Three Steals to boot, but when it ultimately came down to Crunch Time, he and his side squandered their opportunities. Brooks charges went 15-12 without the former No. One Overall Pick, enjoying success (particularly early in his absence) on the strength of employing a much more balanced, free-flowing system, with the likes of Bradley Beal (22.8 PTS, 46.3% FG, 37.8% 3FG, 4.4 REB, 4.6 AST, 1.2 STL, 0.5 BLK, 18.7 PER) and Tomas Satoransky (7.1 PTS, 52.3% FG, 47.4% 3FG, 3.1 REB, 3.9 AST, 0.7 STL, 15.3 PER) assuming the role of distributor. Washington has long been a high-assist unit (25.2, 5th Overall), though with the ball almost exclusively in Wall’s hands, the “complexion” and “feel” of the Offense is very different. In other words, they are far more predictable in this case, which could be a problem heading into the Playoffs. With that said, is it any wonder as to why Brooks & Co. are looking to ensure a meeting with the Celtics, rather than the Raptors, Cavaliers, or 76ers? At the moment of publication, the Wizards are currently in a scrum with the Miami Heat (43-37) and Milwaukee Bucks (43-37) for Seeds Six through Eight in the Eastern Conference, with staying at Seven effectively booking a trip to Boston by far and away their most favorable destination, particularly as Brooks looks to rebuild the chemistry in inserting Wall back into the Lineup after missing roughly a quarter of the campaign. Chemistry is a very understated commodity in the Playoffs, for the teams without it, don’t typically last very long.