Remember that last game against the Wizards? Remember Jae Crowder saying, “I understand we play them next week”
Well today was the 25th and the Celtics did indeed play the Wizards, winter storm aftereffects notwithstanding.
They played at the Verizon Center in front of a crowd that was probably small enough to fit into a bus or large station wagon. There wasn’t even a high school vibe to this crowd, it was more like a D-League crowd when the home team stinks (that’s the voice of experience speaking). If anything, Celtics fans outnumbered Wizards fan, but not by enough to make it seem anything other than weird.
The Celtics started off pretty hot and cooled off right when the Wizards got things going, but once Washington got a small lead, both teams tightened up, the shots got bad, and the passes got even worse. Each team had 4 turnovers and several bricked layups in the first.
And then, with a second to go in the quarter, Bradley Beal fouled Evan Turner while the latter was taking a three point shot. Beal may not make a bigger mistake this season. Turner is an 83% free throw shooter and a 14.8% shooter from behind the arc so far this year.
Isaiah Thomas had 9 of Boston’s 22 points after the first, with the Celtics holding a two point lead over Washington, 22-20.
The second quarter started off with an almost 2 minute scoring drought. Gary Neal hit the first basket for either team and then immediately committed a reach-in foul on the next possession. It was that kind of a quarter. It was the kind of quarter where Gary Neal committed a charge and then committed a block within the space of about ten seconds. It was a bad quarter for Gary Neal in particular and basketball in general is what I’m saying.
Washington went on a 14-2 run midway through the second quarter, and then they couldn’t hold onto the ball, allowing Boston to get back into the game and retake the lead with three minutes to go on a 10-2 run. The teams exchanged baskets over the last two minutes and then Isaiah Thomas ended the quarter on a 5-0 run, leaving Boston up 4 at the half, 53-49.
The third quarter started off about as ugly as the second before Boston went on a 7-0 run, pushing the lead to 10. Then it was Washington’s turn. The Wizards clawed their way back in over the next four minutes, getting it down to a one-possession game, before Boston pushed the lead back up to a safer margin with four straight and then methodically increased the lead over the third period. Again, Washington is out of the playoff picture, like Philly was last night, but Boston’s composure in the third was reassuring? Basically, Boston shook off the cobwebs and Washington still looked rusty during the third quarter. At the end of the period, the Celtics had their largest lead of the night, 84-70.
The fourth quarter started off ugly. It took almost two minutes for Jared Dudley to hit the first field goal for either team. Then, as in the third, Boston got things figured out and Washington didn’t. By the time Wittman called timeout with about seven and a half minutes to go, Boston was up 18 on a wide open Jae Crowder 3. Subsequently, Gortat fell down, Marcus Smart hit a three and basically that was all the Wizards had in them. Final score 116-91, Celtics.
Green
Boston was 6-10 from 3-point range in the second half.
Gross
Boston was 2-10 from 3-point range in the first half.
Greenlights
Olynyk cans another one from downtown as the C’s are pulling away from the Wiz in the 2nd half. #KellyFor3 pic.twitter.com/LkI8yycN5K
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 26, 2016
Jerebko when he’s sick of people asking him about a winter storm having his name https://t.co/wypKMy3X75
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) January 26, 2016
Just the one tonight. Edited to add a nifty garbage time slam by Jonas Regular Celtics vine’ers KWAPT, Forsberg and Jay King weren’t at the game or weren’t available.
Grid
- Boston shot 19/23 from the line tonight (82.6%).
- The Celtics put six players in double figures, three starters (Crowder, Thomas and Bradley) and three reserves (Smart, Turner and Olynyk.)
- Both teams combined for 29 turnovers and 41 fouls in a 48 minute game. That’s not exactly what you’d call beautiful basketball.
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