Celtics-Wizards Is The Playoff Matchup We Should All Be Looking Forward To

With their budding rivalry heightened after tensions flared throughout Monday’s 110-102 Boston victory, the Celtics and Wizards would be an enticing battle in the postseason.

If the NBA playoffs began today, the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards would be on a crash course to meet in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. While the amount of tension shared between the two squads might not compare to the Pacers- Knicks battles of the mid-1990s, the distaste that these two squads share for each other could make for the best series of the postseason this spring.

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This matchup has developed over the course of the season from one of little fanfare to Monday’s tilt, which concluded with an eight-point Celtics triumph, becoming one of the most anticipated bouts at the TD Garden thus far in 2016-17. In a league in which players are chided for being overly chummy with the opposition, there is little love lost when it boils down to this budding rivalry, making it one that the NBA fans should be praying to see come May.

With Boston holding an “us against the world” mentality, they have fallen into the mix of a plethora of disputes with opposing squads over the course of the last few seasons. Warriors small forward Green even criticized the Celtics faithful in November, assessing that their booing of Kevin Durant for choosing the Bay Area over Beantown in free agency would discourage free agents from signing with the franchise.

However, their conflict with the Wizards has been unparalleled. It began on November 9, when a career-high 34 points from Otto Porter Jr. led to Washington’s 118-93 dismantling of the then-scuffling Celtics. With Boston hitting just four of their first 22 field goal attempts while struggling to maintain their focus throughout the contest after falling behind early, the squad was noticeably angered, and tempers reached a tipping point midway through the fourth quarter. Holding a 20-point advantage, the Wizards attempted to trap Celtics point guard Marcus Smart prior to the midcourt line at the beginning of a Boston possession, and Washington point guard John Wall decided to take the action a step further by obliterating Smart and forcing him to the ground.

The two nearly exchanged blows while jawing at each other face-to-face, forcing assistant coach intervention to occur in order to break them apart. Wall was once again the target of Boston’s ire two months later. Immediately after the horn sounded on a 117-108 Celtics win, small forward Jae Crowder began to air grievances with the All-Star point guard. Crowder shoved his finger directly in Wall’s face, prompting the league’s second-leading dime-dropper to swipe at him before Smart appeared. The Oklahoma State product provided his own two cents while chirping at the Wizards all the way to the locker room where Boston Police officers stood.

This debacle led to the Wizards upping the ante prior to the team’s third battle which took place 13 days later. Washington players arrived to the game sporting all black outfits, deeming the game to be a “funeral.” Hatched by shooting guard Bradley Beal, the idea was designed to motivate the Wizards to take advantage of the grudge match, and the planned worked to perfection as the Celtics were overwhelmed to the tune of a 123-108 loss.

While Boston did not retaliate with themed outfits of their own, Monday night represented their own opportunity for revenge which did not go without a collection of duels. Brandon Jennings, who had yet to join Washington for the team’s previous three meetings with the green, was eager to engage in the newfound rivalry. Midway through the second period, Jennings tossed chirps in the direction of Celtics guard Terry Rozier, bumping the second-year pro in the backcourt as he attempted to jog up the floor.

Once the pair reached midcourt, Jennings stopped his momentum and attempted to draw some contact. Rozier obliged, pushing Jennings to the floor in an altercation which resulted in the two being dealt double-technical fouls.

Looking beyond the entertainment value of the team’s discontentedness with each other, the matchup on the court is incredibly enticing as well. While none of the four battles this season were decided in the closing minutes, the clash poses one of the most dangerous backcourt duos in the NBA in Wall and Beal against a pair of formidable defenders in Smart and Avery Bradley paired with Isaiah Thomas, the league’s third-leading scorer.

Next: Ranking Boston Celtics’ Potential First Round Matchups

The Celtics’ ability to contain Wall has varied measurably based on whether the contest has been played at the TD Garden or the Verizon Center. In his two games in Boston, Wall has shot a combined 8-for-31 with an a plus-minus of -24 while garnering 46 points and 14 assists in his two home outings with a plus-minus of +33. The trend is true on the other side of the tape as well. In two games at the Verizon Center, Thomas has shot 13-of-35 with a plus-minus of -26. At home, Thomas has racked up 63 points with an aggregate plus-minus of +19, placing a premium on retaining the second seed once mid-April arrives.

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