Quarter Two
11:37: D-Song keeps working with his 3rd rebound and then a driving lay-up on the other end. It’s hard to tell the progression, but his offensive confidence has improved along with his overall play.
The Boston Three Party have been benched…..Blatche, Arenas, D-Song, Roger Mason and Butler for DC.
9:49: Gil sees a Celtic struggle with the handles, sneaks in, picks the pocket and despite a wide open basket, dishes to Caron for the dunk. 34-27 Wizards.
Ray Allen gets up off the bench.
9:27: Another steal for Gilbert….how 'bout that D?…A strip from Posey, down the court and a behind the back bounce pass to Andray Blatche for a dunk, And 1 – Gilbert the Entertainer. 37-27 Wizards.
8:29: Roger Mason is a funny dude…at the 3 point line in the corner, he feeds Blatche. But Mason doesn’t go anywhere….seems like the offense would dictate him cutting through to the other side. Nope. He just stands there calling for the ball back. But AB doesn’t want to give it back, he wants to take Powe. Roger eventually gets out of the way, and Andray throws up some garbage.
Big Baby has a Mohawk…….great.
7:48: Gilbert drive….the Distributor to AJ for the 3. 40-27 Wizards.
7:17: Blatche is running the court like he should and Butler has become the assist man. All is good in Wizards Nation.
KG checks back in.
6:32: Yup….Wizards miss…Celtics break and a Pierce alley-oop for a KG dunk. In the process, Haywood picks up a cheap foul, caught with a hand on KG s hip. Foul #2
4:26: Jamison stops a 9-0 Celtics run with a trey. Shooting stroke into the playoffs? March was Jamison’s best shooting month this season, 46.3% (43.7% on the year).
It’s just been reported that Big Baby and his Mohawk have a strained hamstring and will not return.
Yup, Biz Markie is at the game. How about that?
2:28: KG intimidates D-Song who misses a lay-up. The Celtics Glue Guy hits a 3 and just like that, a once 17 point lead is down to 5. 45-50.
1:54: Another missed Wiz lay-up….this time by Blatche. And another Posey trey. 50-48 Wizards.
1:26: Gilbert bricks a couple jumpers, I'm not sure the 2nd one caught rim.
1:20: The Celtics push and get a Ray Allen 3 within 6 seconds. Just like that huh? Celtics lead 51-50.
0:57: Butler tries an ill advised pass to Blatche…..KG steal. I’m not crying over spilled Tuff Juice, but he shouldn’t have tried a behind-the-backer with so much traffic in the lane.
0:43: Uh oh…is Blatche’s conditioning a factor? He makes 2 of 4 FTs and had his hands on his knees while waiting for the ball during the 2nd trip. 52-21 Wizards.
0:00: Stevenson gets a three, but then KG gets two tip chances off a miss, makes the 2nd, pounds his chest and walks off the court. That’s the half. 55-53 Wizards.
Interviews: ESPN gets Jamison who talks of communication and Comcast gets Songaila who talks of execution.
Key Stats: The Big Three had 40 of the Celtics 53 points. Caron and Jamison pulled down 29 of the Wizards 55. Boston has also jumped on the boards with a 24-17 lead.
Quarter Three
11:25: Perkins gets a block on BTH.
11:03: Caron gets a turnover, his 7th…..goes with his 7 assists and 5 boards. KG gets a 4 on 1 fast break Slam
10:32: The Wiz look sloppy on offense, but Haywood nails a 13 ft jumper. 57-55 Wiz.
8:02: Now Butler is driving and creating an open Antonio Daniels jumper from the corner. 63-58 Wizards, 8th assist for Caron.
7:29: The Celtics miss a couple shots…and a Jamison jumper caps an 8-0 run which leads to a Celtics timeout. Steve Buckhantz claims that you won’t find a more intense player than Antawn Jamison. Uhh…I think Celtics Nation would have something to say about that. Hell, I have something to say about that. I love AJ, but you can’t tell me he’s more intense that Garnett. 65-58 ‘Zards.
6:55: OH man….easily Jamison’s bet dunk all year…Odenized where are you? AJ got right by Garnett and flushed it on the dome of Kendrick Perkins.
6:28: AJ’s heat check 3 won’t cut it……KG gets himself a dunk. 67-60 Wizards.
6:07: Jamison heat check three #2…..way off. AJ?
5:16: AD steal leads to a Stevenson 3. The Wizards are getting contributions from everyone tonight…including the crowd in the Verizon Center. 72-62 Wizards.
3:32: AD throws down what might be his best dunk of the year. I guess the Celtics didn’t expect Antonio to go all the way to the basket off the screen. 76-65.
3:10: AD blockish…fast break, Gil to Jamison …AJ lay-up miss. But Haywood with the follow slam! And they’re doing this against the Celtics starters. I’m betting they will rest soon, considering the Wizards 13 point lead and that Allen and Pierce have played 28 minutes each while Garnett has 24.
1:22: Gil drives down the middle and pretty much knocks down three Celtics. The ref calls a questionable charge…but I like what I see.
The 3rd ends and the Bullets hold strong, 82-71. I doubt we will see much more of the Boston starters. Time for the Wiz to get used to each other and maintain.
Quarter Four
10:16: Gilbert knocks down a trey to answer Eddie House. 85-85 Wizards.
9:41: The Potomac Rainmaker is missing…but Blatche and Butler are hustling for the rebound and Butler is passing and assisting Andray to agile buckets with fouls. Really good to see Blatche coming on strong towards the end of the season. [including tonight, 47 points and 23 rebounds in the past 4 games, 81 minutes]
9:10: Arenas steals and several other Wizards touch the ball down the court as it ends with a Blatche assist to Songaila. 89-77 Wizards.
8:13: Eddie House hits a trey to put the Celts down nine…Paul Pierce has checked back it.
7:42: Speaking of….Paul Pierce hits a trey. 91-85 Wizards.
7:15: Jamison misses a trey…..no foul call despite a lot of yellin’
6:24: Just as I’m starting to wonder where he is…no points so far…..Roger Mason…I mean, the Potomac Rainmaker, nails a three, 96-85. That settles it. Everyone who has been in the game has scored and the Wiz have 33 points off the bench. Sorry rookies, no time tonight…yet. You think Eddie Jordan cares about this game?
5:33: And Garnett checks back into the game, a little surprising....but the game is close ….Celtics ball movement and KG money. 96-90 Wiz.
5:15: The Celtics fall for an Arenas pump fake and he nails the mid-ranger. 98-90. 13 points for Gil.
4:59: Jamison shows more intensity than Garnett this time…AJ knocks the ball away from KG and then out-hustles him in getting to the loose rock…..knocks it off KG out of bounds.
4:34: Arenas takes and misses a long trey…..don’t really need that. Inside Gil.
3:43: Pierce takes it strong to Butler on the baseline and hits a power lay-up. 98-92 Wizards.
3:26: The Lock Smith hits a much needed trey. 101-92 ‘Zards.
2:27: Paul Pierce open 3. Aaagain. Celts within 6. Stevenson answers with 2 FTs. 103-95.
Steve Buckhantz starts to freak out because the clock has not started. Phil Chenier gently reminds him that the Celtics rolled the ball in bounds and have yet to touch it.
1:46: Ray Allen blows a lay-up and that just might do it…..the Wizards would help by scoring…AND they do. Stevenson nails a three. I can see him talking more trash already. 107-95 Wizards.
And yep, that does it. The game ends in Washington’s favor, 109-95. Nothing more than a solid, all-around effort for all the Wizards who played. The Celtics made some runs, but Washington was able to sustain each time. National TV game......people are starting to notice.
