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January 15, 2008
Wizards Double Up on Celtics 88-83
The Washington Wizards...... playing defense? Two games in a row?
Yep and Yup.
Double their pleasure, double your pain.
In a season of streaks and season highs and season lows, the Wizards just stuck Boston with its first matching set of losses. They did it with defense both times. They gave Boston double losses by doubling down and doubling up.
They did with their high scoring duo, Caron Butler (21 pts.) and Antawn Jamison (20 pts.). Butler, in particular was fantastic in the closing moments to get them the win. Of course, he made 2 very difficult shots. The first was an acrobatic driving lay-up with great body control to tie it at 81 with 40 seconds left. He was fouled and hit the foul shot to give them their first lead since the first quarter.
Paul Pierce hit 2 free throws to give Boston back a one point lead. But it was short lived as Butler then drove right and arced a nice lay-up over a great defensive effort by Pierce for a 84-83 lead. That was the game, as Garnett missed turnaround jumper in the lane with 8 seconds left, and Ray Allen missed a slightly off balanced three with one second left.
Boston had established its biggest lead of the game minutes before at 77-63 with 6:22 left. Garnett accidentally tipped in a rebound for the first points of what would turn out to be a 25-6 run to end the game by Washington.
Give credit to Washington. They never gave up, they played great defense, and they made huge offensive plays time and again to comeback and win the game. While Boston never gave up themselves, they did not look or play confidently down the stretch. At the end, with what should have been two big foul shots by Pierce to give the Cs the lead, the team looked like they knew they were going to lose. How quickly things change - in this game - and over the last week.
The last game, just a few nights ago, Washington held the Beantown Ballers to season lows in scoring (78) and shot attempts (63). Washington?
Previously, the Wizards were a team built much in the mold of previous incantations of Doc's first Celtics teams, except they had more stars and won more. They did it with offense.
This year, they are playing a much better brand of defense. Last year they gave up 104 points per game. This year it's down to 97. But what they did against the Celtics was a cut above that even.
Since the Detroit game, Boston's high game is 86. In what is now a 4 game blip, Boston's offensive slump was continued by an aggressive and energetic defense by the Wizards. The team only had 17 assists on 31 made baskets.
Paul Pierce hasn't reached 20 points for 5 straight games, averaging just 16.6 points. Ray Allen is also in a scoring slump, missing wide open jumpers tonight and 2 point blank lay-ups. He is averaging just 11.4 over 7 games.
The team looks lethargic for much of that time. Could it be they are riding an emotional let down since Detroit? Or is it something more? Are teams learning that you can wear the Celtics down and knock them off their game with physical play?
Boston played great defense for much of the night, but they haven't looked locked in for a while now. They did outscore Washington in the paint by 32-14, but in truth, it looked like the Wizards defense was better this evening.
I think they will check the game tapes. They also need to hit the open shots. They missed a number of them this evening as well.
Garnett was high with 23 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Unfortunately, he was the only Celtic able to break out.
A first half highlight had Perkins dribble the ball behind his back, then pass it to Pierce who threw it to KG for a solid dunk. Yes, you read that correctly. So we may have found a point guard. Now, if only we can find a big who rebounds.
Next up: Portland at home Wednesday night.
Posted by Tom on January 15, 2008 1:52 AM
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