OK Boston Celtics, we’ve had just about enough of your shenanigans. We know you’re not perfect, but we know you’re better than this. You know it too. Tonight, we have an opportunity to put all that other stuff behind us and feel good about ourselves again.
The Washington Wizards are in town. They are struggling right now, but they’re still dangerous. Here’s the game plan for regaining our mojo and beating Washington.
1: Just, show up!
This isn’t like the snarky responses I got on Twitter to my Nets and 76’ers previews (example: If it’s anything more than “just show up,” you might have over-thought this). This is said in a more pleading manner… Like…
Hey guys, can you please, maybe, just, SHOW UP tonight??
The Nets game… the Hawks game… the Sixers game… three straight subpar efforts. Nothing else I or anyone says about this game matters if the Celtics don’t come out and at least play a cohesive game. This means making crisp passes, taking care of the ball, defending as a team… all of that. As Brad Stevens might say, play with a purpose.
2: Turn John Wall over
Wall has a big-time turnover issue right now. His turnover rate is 21.8%, the highest of his career. He committed 8 against the Celtics the first time around, and has turned it over 6 or more times in 4 games this season (Washington is 1-3 in those games).
Put the pressure on him, force him to continue making mistakes, and get running for some easy baskets. Which bring me to…
3: Jump on them early
Here’s what Wizards coach Randy Wittman said after they got crushed by Charlotte
“We start feeling sorry, start pouting and putting our heads down,” Wittman said. “It just becomes a snowball.
“We got to grow up in that aspect of it. Shot doesn’t go in, it doesn’t go in. That’s the game. Makes, misses. That’s the game, but you never give in to it, and we haven’t gotten over that. It’s been that way for the last couple years. Guys don’t play well, they put their heads down. We feel sorry for ourselves.”
This is a team lacking confidence right now. They’re confused by their 6-6 start and good players are playing poorly. They’re looking at a Celtics team that’s similarly struggling right now as a chance to right their ship.
If the Celtics come out to a hot start, the Wizards will start to press, and guys like Wall or Bradley Beal will start playing more individual basketball to try to will their team to a win… and that’s what the Celtics want. The more individual basketball those guys play, the less involved guys like Marcin Gortat will be.
4: Go small
Small ball is giving the Wizards problems. Throw a lineup of Thomas, Bradley, Turner, Jerebko, and Olynyk out there for a while. Or Crowder instead of Jerebko. Or Hunter instead of Turner. However they need to do it lineup-wise, just put a bunch of shooters out there and roll with it. The Wizards don’t have the personnel to defend those lineups effectively, so hit them with it all night long.
The Celtics have been scuffling along, but there they are at 8-7 after Thanksgiving… better than we anticipated. Every team struggles through stretches, and hopefully the Celtics will learn from this and grow as a team. They can get things back on track by doing these 4 things and beating the Wizards tonight.
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