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Wizards vs. Celtics preview: Washington looks to beat Boston on the road

NBA: Boston Celtics at Washington Wizards Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Game Info

When: Friday, March 1 at 8:00 pm Eastern Time
Where: TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts
TV: NBC Sports Washington (The game was originally slated to air on ESPN, but it was dropped so the network could pick up Blazers - Raptors)

Injury Report

Wizards: John Wall (Out, Heel), Dwight Howard (Out, Back)

Celtics: Aron Baynes (Foot, Out), Terry Rozier (Knee, Questionable), Brad Wanamaker (Illness, Day-to-Day)

What to Watch for

Boston is on a 4-game losing streak

Washington should take advantage of the struggling Celtics. It’s evident that there are issues plaguing Boston despite their talent. The Celtics, once a top team, are now fifth place in the Eastern Conference. If the Wizards, who are 11th in the conference, come out strong and play hard, there’s no reason they can’t beat Boston.

The Wizards played the Celtics tight the first time the two met back in December, forcing overtime before falling short. However, that game came before Washington’s moves to acquire Trevor Ariza, Bobby Portis, Jabari Parker, and Wesley Johnson.

Bradley Beal dropping buckets in March

In February, Beal averaged 30.9 points per game. His monthly averages have only gone up since November. So, it’s only right that the shooting guard drops 32 points per game in March, right?

Either way, he’s held the team down the entire season. He is leading his team in points per game (25.7) and assists per game (5.4), and leads the league in minutes per game this season (37.4).

Can the Wizards finish off the season strong?

Washington is in 11th place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 25-36. With only 21 games left in the regular season, it would be nice to end on more of a sweet note than a sour note.

A random moment in Wizards - Celtics history: Boston and Washington battled with 52 personal fouls, eight technicals, three ejections, and one flagrant foul in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 4, 2017.