Celtics (6-11) vs. Wizards (13-5) Preview: The Truth Returns!
The Boston Celtics open a home-and-home set with the Washington Wizards in TD Garden this afternoon, and there will a familiar face among the among the players sitting on the opposing bench.
This will be the first game in which the Celtics faithful get to see Paul “The Truth” Pierce play as a member of the Wizards, who signed him as a free agent during the offseason. While this home-coming will not be as bittersweet as Pierce’s first trip to the Garden as a member of the Brooklyn Nets, seeing Pierce in anything but Celtics white and green is always a bit depressing.
Adding to the depression factor could be the fact that the Wizards are really freaking good, and the Celtics, well, are not. Washington is gunning for its fifth-straight win today, and if you’re a betting man, you’re putting your money on the Wizards. Currently the second-best team in the Eastern Conference, Washington boasts the fifth-best defense in the NBA (opponents are only scoring 95.6 PPG), and the team is 12-0 when allowing 100 points or less. The Wizards clamp down on their opponents, allowing the enemy to shoot 42.8% from the floor, the fourth-lowest mark in the league.
The Wizards don’t score a ton, but they are tough to defend, as they get quality production out of their dynamic duo of guards, John Wall and Bradley Beal, and have a solid inside game anchored by Marcin Gortat. Even so, the Wizards are not built to run-n-gun, so if the Celtics can find a way to play at their accelerated pace, they will have a much better chance of stealing a W.
My keys to the game:
1. The Rondo-to-Zeller connection
What seemed like an afterthought – bringing Tyler Zeller on board in a move that was more about clearing some salary off of the books for 2015 and possibly acquiring some trade assets – has turned into a powerful 1-2 punch for the Celtics. Zeller is averaging 7.6 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Celtics, but those numbers don’t tell you the full story. The more Zeller plays with Rondo, the more dangerous the Celtics become. Zeller made ten of his eleven shots in Friday night’s win against the Los Angeles Lakers, good for 24 points and a ridiculous +39 rating. He was on the receiving end of seven of Rajon Rondo‘s sixteen assists, so expect Rondo to be looking for Zeller on the pick-and-roll and in transition all afternoon.
2. Don’t fall in love with the long-ball
I still don’t understand why the Celtics average 23.3 three-point attempts per game. The team only connects on 32.8% of these heaves, the fifth-worst success rate in the NBA. Too often, when Boston finds itself with the lead, this team begins settling for long-range twos and three-pointers, instead of attacking the rim , which is what usually what got the Celtics the lead in the first place. Abandoning trips into the paint and settling for low-percentage shots is exactly what the Wizards will want Boston to do today.
3. Run, Run, Run!
The Celtics rank among the league’s best fast-break teams, scoring 16.9 PPG courtesy of the break. Creating turnovers and pushing the ball will keep the Wizards from setting up their D, and is Boston’s best chance at cracking the magical 100 point mark.
Today’s game is set to tip-off at 1 p.m. Follow us @houdiniceltics and come back here following the action for our opinions and near-professional analysis!