Bullets Forever - Wizards vs Celtics: Washington has third quarter to forget in 107-96 loss"Ain't No Luck"https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48097/BulletsForever-fv.png2013-04-08T10:01:14-04:00http://www.bulletsforever.com/rss/stream/39582152013-04-08T10:01:14-04:002013-04-08T10:01:14-04:00Recap roundup: Wiz lay an egg in Boston
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Rounding up recaps of the Wizards' 107-96 loss to the Celtics last night.</p> <p>Here's your recap roundup for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Washington Wizards</a> 107-96 loss Sunday night to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a>. Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/4/7/4194174/wizards-vs-celtics-nba-2013-jordan-crawford" target="_blank">our StoryStream</a> for additional coverage, as well as postgame interviews with <a href="http://www.monumentalnetwork.com/videos/randy-wittman-postgame-4-7-13/index.jsp" target="_blank">Randy Wittman</a>, <a href="http://www.monumentalnetwork.com/videos/john-wall-postgame-4-7-13/index.jsp" target="_blank">John Wall</a>, <a href="http://www.monumentalnetwork.com/videos/aj-price-postgame-4-7-13/index.jsp" target="_blank">A.J. Price</a>.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/wizards-are-unable-to-avoid-season-sweep-at-the-hands-of-the-celtics/2013/04/07/dc38234e-9fd7-11e2-82bc-511538ae90a4_story.html" target="_blank">Washington Post gamer</a></p>
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<p>The Wizards' playoff chances were officially dashed last week, placing them in position to chase minor goals, such as ninth in the conference. After defeating the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Indiana Pacers</a> on Saturday at Verizon Center, the Wizards needed to get a win over the Celtics to claim at least one win against the top eight teams. They lost the first two games against the Celtics by a combined nine points in November, when they didn't have either Nene or <span>John Wall</span>. Boston Coach <span>Doc Rivers</span> said before the game that he didn't even study film of those contests because of how much the team has changed.</p>
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<p><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/garnett-pierce-return-help-celts-005732627--nba.html" target="_blank">Associated Press</a></p>
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<p>''We play a team like this and when you're not playing great defensively you have got to be able to make shots,'' Wall said, ''and we had a tough night.''</p>
<p>The Wizards hit just 44.5 percent of their shots. But in the second half they connected on only 41.5 percent, while the Celtics made 64.5 percent.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.nba.com/wizards/game-recap-wizards-96-celtics-107" target="_blank">WashingtonWizards.com</a></p>
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<p>The game opened up for the Celtics in the second half as they parlayed an early 13-1 run into an eventual 16 point lead at the end of three. The Wizards never got closer than 10 in the fourth and eventually lost by 11. The Wizards never found their rhythm on offense in the second half and the Celtics were very efficient on offense. The Celtics shot 55% in the game and the Wizards just 44%.</p>
<p>John Wall led the effort with a double-double, scoring 16 points and dishing out 10 assists. <span>A.J. Price</span> and <span>Trevor Ariza</span> came off the bench to score 15 and 14 respectively.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.wizardsextreme.com/2013-articles/we-game-recap-wizards-at-celtics-another-botched-third-quarter-leads-to-another-road-loss.html" target="_blank">Wizards Extreme</a></p>
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<p>Washington's bench contributed well in this game, with nice performances by Trevor Ariza and AJ Price. Also worth noting was <span>Kevin Seraphin's</span> play. Seraphin tallied 10 points (5-for-6 from the floor) and four rebounds in 25 minutes of play. He also picked up only one foul - an accomplishment, indeed</p>
<p><span>Jan Vesely</span> also got into the act, playing very active defense in the 4th quarter. He made a few pass deflections, a block, and caught an alley oop.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.csnwashington.com/basketball-washington-wizards/talk/instant-analysis-celtics-107-wizards-96" target="_blank">CSN Washington recap</a></p>
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<p>Celtics SG <span>Jordan Crawford</span> came off the bench in his first game against his former team and sparked them to their largest lead of the first half. Crawford made a fadeaway jumper in the lane to make the score 34-31, made a mid-range jumper on the next possession and stole a pass from Ariza that led to a basket. The Wizards were quickly behind 40-31. It was Crawford's only scoring as he finished with six points on 2-for-3 shooting. He also had two steals and three turnovers in 16 minutes of action.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wizards-insider/wp/2013/04/08/wizards-training-camp-cut-shavlik-randolph-provides-boost-in-celtics-win/" target="_blank">Washington Post sidebar</a></p>
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<p>The former Wizard wasn't looking for revenge. He wasn't looking to show the team that cut ties with him that it made a mistake. He had no other agenda when he came off the bench other than to help Boston win and continue his improved play since joining the Celtics so late in the season.</p>
<p>After accomplishing that goal, the former Wizard expressed gratitude to the organization that discarded him, thanked it for giving him an opportunity to prove his worth and then forcing him to get better after an unceremonious departure.</p>
<p>Some show of maturity from Jordan Crawford, right? Except the former Wizard wasn't Crawford.</p>
<p>It was <span>Shavlik Randolph</span>.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.csnwashington.com/basketball-washington-wizards/talk/crawford-randolph-play-small-key-roles" target="_blank">CSN Washington sidebar</a></p>
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<p>Unlike Crawford who has ill feelings towards his former team, Randolph is appreciative.</p>
<p>"I got outplayed by the people I was competing against," Randolph told CSNNE.com about his brief stint in Washington. "I'm the first in situations to be a man and own up when I've got outdone, and I didn't deserve to make the team over the people that made it over me. It was simple as that."</p>
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<p><a href="http://wizofawes.com/2013/04/07/celtics-shavlik-randolph-team-defense-handle-wizards/" target="_blank">Wiz of Awes</a></p>
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<p>Many Wizard fans were particularly excited for tonight's game to see how Jordan Crawford, who recently stated he did not remember playing for the Wizards, would perform against the team he thinks he never played for. The former Wizard they should have been paying attention to proved to be Summer League stalwart, Shavlik Randolph. Randolph, who averaged 30 and 15 in China and attributed it all to the Wizards, proved to be the real former-Wizard threat, going for 8 and 7 in only 15 minutes and being labeled the second best big on the court for the Celtics by Celticsblog's Evan Clinchy. It's hard to argue that point. Randolph was great in his limited role and the Wizards were relatively lost all night.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.celticsblog.com/2013/4/7/4194970/pierce-and-kg-return-as-the-celtics-defeat-the-wizards-107-96" target="_blank">CelticsBlog</a></p>
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<p>Washington was able to cut the lead to ten with 3:58 remaining in the game but they were unable to get it any closer. <span>Paul Pierce</span> hit a key three-pointer from the corner with 2:38 to go to get the lead to 13. The next time up the court <span>Brandon Bass</span> scored his 20th point after nailing a 16-foot jumper, extending the C's lead to 15.</p>
<p>The bench was the story tonight, as they scored 42 points. <span>Chris Wilcox</span> led the bench with 13 points, along with five rebounds and two steals. Shavlik Randolph managed to chip in as well with eight points and seven rebounds.</p>
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<p><a href="http://hardwoodhoudini.com/2013/04/07/boston-celtics-avoid-two-game-skid-after-containing-john-wall-and-the-washington-wizards-107-96/" target="_blank">Hardwood Houdini</a></p>
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<p>Boston did a great job guarding John Wall around screens and playing him physically thoughout the entire game. Whenever Wall would get a screen, there was a wall of Celtics defenders ready to meet him and prevent penetration. The big played Wall soft and allowed the perimeter defender to do most of the work and force Wall in the direction that the Celtics wanted him to go.</p>
<p>Wall was one of three players to average over 23 points, seven assists, and five rebounds in the month of March. The other two were <span>Kobe Bryant</span> and <span>LeBron James</span>. For the Celtics to have guarded him so well should instill comfort in the hearts of Celtics fans.</p>
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<p><a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4704049/rapid-reaction-celtics-107-wizards-96" target="_blank">ESPN Boston</a></p>
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<p>Brandon Bass scored a team-high 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting to go along with six rebounds to pace a balanced Boston output that put five players in double figures for scoring. <span>Kevin Garnett</span>, back on the floor after missing eight games due to left ankle inflammation, finished with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block over a manageable 24 minutes of floor time (his night would have been 3½ minutes shorter, but Washington rallied a bit late). Paul Pierce, back after a one-game absence due to a sore right ankle, added 15 points and five assists over 30 minutes and was a team-best plus-15 overall. John Wall scored a team-high 16 points on 8-of-20 shooting to pace the Wizards.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2013/04/kevin_garnett_boston_celtics_w.html#incart_river" target="_blank">MassLive.com</a></p>
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<p>With the Celtics ahead 87-71 after the third quarter, it was fair to wonder whether Garnett would return. He did. Starting the period, he added two more jumpers, one more defensive rebound and -- in an act that should probably result in more optimism than any other play Garnett made -- followed lightning-fast John Wall in transition well enough to alter his (ultimately missed) layup. When Garnett was replaced in the lineup with 6:28 left, head coach Doc Rivers probably felt that would be the All-Star center's night. But these are the Celtics. What fun would easy be?</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/2013/04/07/celtics-beat-wizards-paul-pierce-and-kevin-garnett-return/jjJAywDo0xvPUg0XdR3JDO/story.html" target="_blank">Boston Globe</a></p>
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<p>"I feel good because I know when we're all out there and we're on, we're as tough as anybody in the East to beat, especially with Kevin's presence," Pierce said.</p>
<p>"We're not going anywhere without Kevin's presence, just to be honest with you. He's a big part of what we try to do out there on offense and defense. We play through him a lot. He anchors the defense. It's going to be important for him in these last few games just to kind of get his legs back and get going."</p>
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<p><a href="http://greenstreet.weei.com/sports/boston/basketball/celtics/2013/04/07/return-men-paul-pierce-kevin-garnett-return-as-celtics-beat-wizards/" target="_blank">Green Street</a></p>
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<p>Not only did the Celtics (40-37) get their two star regulars back from foot injuries, Boston took a step closer toward clinching the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference as they lead the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brewhoop.com/">Bucks</a> by two games in the loss column with five games left to play.</p>
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https://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/4/8/4196320/wizards-vs-celtics-recap-roundup-washington-lays-an-egg-in-bostonJeff Newman2013-04-07T20:24:44-04:002013-04-07T20:24:44-04:00Wizards melt down in 3rd quarter in 107-96 loss
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<p>A third quarter to forget caused the Wizards to fall, 107-96, to the Boston Celtics on Sunday night.</p> <p>When the <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Celtics</a>' starting lineup was announced before tonight's game, you figured the <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Wizards</a> were getting their best shot. After seeing things unfold for 48 minutes, the Wizards did indeed get the Celtics' best shot. Boston put together a vintage third-quarter performance, eventually pulling away for a 107-96 victory.</p>
<p>There's very little the Wizards could have done to score on Boston in that third quarter. The Celtics unleashed their classic Thibodeau-style defense, sending a second defender to zone <span>John Wall</span> off every pick and roll and anticipating the Wizards' weakside motion to cut off any skip passes. Any play the Wizards run at this stage heavily involves Wall, so when a defense can cut off his best options that easily, it can be really hard to function. Major credit to the Celtics' scheme, especially the way they positioned their help defenders off the pick and roll.</p>
<p>But the defensive issues? Those were more disappointing. If it wasn't <span>Jason Terry</span> from the perimeter, it was <span>Shavlik Randolph</span> rolling down the lane. If it wasn't <span>Brandon Bass</span> from mid-range, it was <span>Paul Pierce</span> from deep. The Celtics were hitting some tough shots, but the Wizards weren't matching Boston's pristine execution for the full 24 seconds. For a team ranked in the top five in defensive efficiency right now, that was very uncharacteristic.</p>
<p>The end result? A old-fashioned Celtics victory where they slowly grind a team down and cause them to lose their poise. Wall fouled Randolph flagrantly after being annoyed about a non-call on the other end, but it may as well have been because the Celtics didn't give him any openings. Later in the third quarter, the Wizards committed a turnover and didn't bother to hustle back, letting Terry get a layup. That was the moment where they looked like a beaten team, which is discouraging considering how much they've tried to play through their emotions in this recent stretch.</p>
<p>Things were a litte better in the fourth quarter. A Martell Webster three with 3:58 left cut Boston's lead to 10 and gave the Wizards a sliver of hope. Washington had two chances to cut the lead to single digits, but Wall committed a bad turnover on the first possession and Webster missed a mid-range jumper from the corner on the second. Pierce hit a three from the corner with Webster in his face and that was the end of that comeback effort.</p>
<p>One has to wonder if it was worth playing Wall so many minutes in the second half given the circumstances. He did not come out of the game until the two-mark, even though the Wizards have another back-to-back starting Tuesday. Were all those minutes worth it, or would it have been better to give him more rest with the game not going the Wizards' way?</p>
<p>At least Jordan Crawford didn't do much.</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/4/7/4194904/wizards-vs-celtics-score-final-third-quarterMike Prada2013-04-07T17:32:17-04:002013-04-07T17:32:17-04:00Your Wizards-Celtics game thread
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<figcaption>Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Discuss the game here.</p> <table cellspacing="5" border="1" align="center" cellpadding="5"><tbody> <tr><th align="center" bgcolor="silver" colspan="3">2012/2013 NBA Regular Preseason</th></tr> <tr> <td width="240"><center><img src="http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/wizards_alt_logo_hand.gif" height="72" width="80"></center></td> <th align="center" width="20">@</th> <td width="240"><center><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/media/celtics/CelticsLogo_History.gif" height="72" width="80"></center></td> </tr> <tr><td align="center" bgcolor="silver" colspan="3"><strong>April 7, 2013</strong></td></tr> <tr><td align="center" colspan="3"><strong>TD Garden</strong></td></tr> <tr><td align="center" colspan="3"><strong>6 p.m.</strong></td></tr> <tr><td align="center" colspan="3"><strong>CSN, 106.7 The Fan</strong></td></tr> <tr><th align="center" bgcolor="silver" colspan="3"><strong>Starting Lineups</strong></th></tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span style="text-align: start;"><span>John Wall</span></span></td> <th align="center" width="20">PG</th> <td width="240"><span>Avery Bradley</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span style="text-align: start;"><span>Garrett Temple</span></span></td> <th align="center" width="20">SG</th> <td width="240"><span>Paul Pierce</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span style="text-align: start;"><span>Martell Webster</span></span></td> <th align="center" width="20">SF</th> <td width="240"><span>Jeff Green</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span style="text-align: start;">Nene</span></td> <th align="center" width="20">PF</th> <td width="240"><span>Brandon Bass</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span style="text-align: start;"><span>Emeka Okafor</span></span></td> <th align="center" width="20">C</th> <td width="240"><p><span>Kevin Garnett</span></p></td> </tr> <tr><th align="center" bgcolor="silver" colspan="3"><strong>2012/13 Advanced Stats</strong></th></tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span style="text-align: start;">92 (15th)</span></td> <th align="center" width="20">Pace</th> <td width="240"><span>91.7 (16th)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span style="text-align: start;">100.1 (30th)</span></td> <th align="center" width="20">ORtg</th> <td width="240"><span>102.6 (25th)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" width="240"><span style="text-align: start;">102.3 (4th)</span></td> <th align="center" width="20">DRtg</th> <td width="240"><span>102.9 (7th)</span></td> </tr> <tr><th height="20" colspan="3" bgcolor="silver">Also see: <a href="http://www.celticsblog.com">Celtics Blog</a> | <a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/4/7/4194174/wizards-vs-celtics-nba-2013-jordan-crawford">StoryStream</a> | <a href="http://www.monumentalnetwork.com/videos/wizards-fast-break-4-7-13/index.jsp">Fast Break</a> </th></tr> </tbody></table>
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<p>Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are back tonight for Boston. Discuss the game here.</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/4/7/4194492/wizards-vs-celtics-game-time-tv-schedule-and-open-threadMike Prada2013-04-07T17:05:20-04:002013-04-07T17:05:20-04:00KG, Pierce will play vs. Wizards
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Washington Wizards</a> will get the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a>' best shot when they play tonight at 6 p.m. <span>Kevin Garnett</span> and <span>Paul Pierce</span> will both return to the Celtics' lineup after nursing injuries over the past couple weeks. Via Celtics' radio play-by-play voice Sean Grande:</p>
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<p>What you're waiting for; Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce return tonight. <span>Avery Bradley</span> will play. Bass and Green join them in the starting 5.</p>
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanGrandePBP/status/321001051970998273">April 7, 2013</a>
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<p>Garnett had not played since March 22 with a left ankle injury, while Pierce has been in and out of the lineup over the past couple weeks with a right ankle ailment.</p>
<p>Doc Rivers said he expects Garnett to be limited in his first game back.</p>
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<p>Doc confirms that KG, Pierce and Bradley will be back in the lineup tonight. "I'll watch Kevin, I doubt if he plays his normal minutes..."</p>
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) <a href="https://twitter.com/celtics/status/321006761261793281">April 7, 2013</a>
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https://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/4/7/4194410/kevin-garnett-paul-pierce-to-return-from-injuries-vs-wizardsMike Prada2013-04-07T15:42:37-04:002013-04-07T15:42:37-04:00Wizards-Celtics preview: Return of the Steez
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<figcaption>Mike James! | Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Washington Wizards get to experience the other side of the Jordan Crawford Experience (tm) as they head to Boston to battle the Celtics. Here's what you need to know.</p> <p>How do you follow up making the NBA's best defense look like the Bosh-Bargnani <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.raptorshq.com/">Raptors</a>? You go to Boston and light up one of the best defensive big men of all time, arguably the best defensive point guard in the NBA, and your one-time teammate who forced his way out of town because he didn't want to come off the bench behind the third pick in the draft. Let's see if <span>John Wall</span> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Washington Wizards</a> can rise to the occasion.</p>
<p><b>Where and when?</b> Tip off is at 6 p.m. in Boston.</p>
<p><b>Are they good?</b> As has been the case for years now, Boston's a decent regular season team that is always capable of playing better than their record would have you believe. <span>Kevin Garnett</span> and <span>Paul Pierce</span> are still phenomenal players and, when they play more than 30 or 35 minutes, Boston's as good as any team in the East other than Miami.</p>
<p><b>Who's out?</b> Garnett and Pierce are questionable for tonight, while <span>Rajon Rondo</span> and <span>Jared Sullinger</span> are out for the season for Boston. Washington is going to be without <span>Bradley Beal</span>. Nene is listed as day-to-day but, based on how he's looked lately and the fact that this is the second game of a back to back, I wouldn't count on seeing too much of him tonight.</p>
<p><b>Why should I care?</b> It's <span>Jordan Crawford's</span> first game against the Wizards since being traded for pennies on the dollar.</p>
<p><b>What are they good at?</b> Playing defense, at least when KG is in the game. Boston is seventh in the NBA in defensive rating, but that doesn't tell the whole story. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.82games.com/1213/12BOS17.HTM">The Celtics give up 100.4 points per one hundred possessions when Garnett is on the court and 107.3 when he goes to the bench</a>. The former is a great number, the latter not so much. That's not to say that the rest of the team is bad, though. Boston is still committed to team defense and guys like <span>Avery Bradley</span> and <span>Courtney Lee</span> can be really disruptive on the perimeter, with Bradley in particular being someone who should get at least a couple of All Defensive Team votes. Good pick and roll dive men can give Boston some trouble, but at their best they make life completely miserable for any kind of ball dominant perimeter player.</p>
<p><b>What are they bad at?</b> Taking shots. Yes, that sounds odd, but bare with me. Boston's offense is <a target="_blank" href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/2013.html">ranked only 25th in the NBA in efficiency</a>, yet MySynergySports places them 12th in terms of points per possession. The reason? They only pull down 20% of their available offensive rebounds, the worst rate in the NBA. Some of that is a result of their commitment to getting back on defense, but more and more, it appears to be a product of the team's personnel. Garnett is the only decent rotation player over 6'9, the beastly Sullinger is out for the year with back trouble and <span>Brandon Bass</span> and Jeff Green are complete non-factors on the boards. The team also commits a surprising number of turnovers, further limiting their ability to get shots up.</p>
<p><b>How's Jordan Crawford been?</b> Per 36 minutes and adjusted for pace, here are his 2012-13 stats with Washington and Boston:</p>
<p><b>Jordan Crawford, 2013 statistics, per 36 minutes, pace-adjusted</b></p>
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<col width="30">
<col width="50">
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<td height="20" width="73">Team</td>
<td width="35">FGA</td>
<td width="50">FG%</td>
<td width="31">3PA</td>
<td width="50">3PT%</td>
<td width="30">FTA</td>
<td width="50">FT%</td>
<td width="40">OREB</td>
<td width="33">REB</td>
<td width="30">AST</td>
<td width="28">TO</td>
<td width="28">STL</td>
<td width="29">BLK</td>
<td width="35">PTS</td>
<td width="33">+/-</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20">
<td height="20">WAS</td>
<td align="right">16.2</td>
<td align="right">41.50%</td>
<td align="right">5.4</td>
<td align="right">34.50%</td>
<td align="right">3.4</td>
<td align="right">82.10%</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">4.3</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
<td align="right">3.1</td>
<td align="right">0.9</td>
<td align="right">0.2</td>
<td align="right">18.1</td>
<td align="right">-5.5</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20">
<td height="20">BOS</td>
<td align="right">13.6</td>
<td align="right">38.20%</td>
<td align="right">4.8</td>
<td align="right">30.00%</td>
<td align="right">3.4</td>
<td align="right">76.70%</td>
<td align="right">0.6</td>
<td align="right">4.6</td>
<td align="right">4.2</td>
<td align="right">2.7</td>
<td align="right">0.6</td>
<td align="right">0.2</td>
<td align="right">14.5</td>
<td align="right">-0.2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20">
<td height="20">Difference</td>
<td align="right">2.6</td>
<td align="right">0.033</td>
<td align="right">0.6</td>
<td align="right">0.045</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0.054</td>
<td align="right">0.4</td>
<td align="right">-0.3</td>
<td align="right">0.8</td>
<td align="right">0.4</td>
<td align="right">0.3</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">3.6</td>
<td align="right">-5.3</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><i>Data courtesy of NBA.com/stats</i></p>
<p>As tends to happen when a featured player leaves a bad team for a good one, Crawford's doing less with the ball and focusing his energy on more than scoring. He shoots less, passes more and is more or less a more effective player now, even though he's less likely to drop 30 on someone. He's also playing far fewer minutes in Boston than he did in Washington (about 20 a game in Boston as opposed to about 27 in Washington). It hasn't been a perfect transition for Crawford, but with his style of play and Boston's well-documented weaknesses when it comes to shot creation, he'll probably have at least one or two big moments in the playoffs this year.</p>
<p><b>Who wins tonight?</b> If Garnett and Pierce sit, Washington should win. Then again, Bradley is such a good defender that he could disrupt Wall enough to throw him off his game and, with Beal out and Nene reeling, Washington could begin to struggle to score. I hate to go out on a limb like this, especially against Washington, but I'm thinking Boston's role players pull off the upset.</p>
<p><b>Where can I read more about the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Celtics</a>? </b><a href="http://www.celticsblog.com/" target="_blank">Check out Celtics Blog</a>. No, not the Celtics blog, just Celtics Blog.</p>
<p><b><i>What are your thoughts and predictions for tonight's game? Vote in our poll and sound off in the comments!</i></b></p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/4/7/4194054/washington-wizards-boston-celtics-preview-april-7-2013Thomas Pruitt2013-04-06T13:30:35-04:002013-04-06T13:30:35-04:00Crawford: 'I don't recall playing for Washington'
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Gb6lCYspHrHTwtMOPe1-pV7t7Ag=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47827785/large_bulletsforever.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p><span>Jordan Crawford</span> will play his first game against his former team when the <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Celtics</a> welcome the Wizards to Boston on Sunday, but he doesn't seem willing to remember that time in his career. <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2013/04/jordan_crawford_2.html">Via the Boston Globe</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Jordan Crawford will face his former team, the <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Washington Wizards</a>, on Sunday at TD Garden.</p>
<p>"Who?" Crawford asked before practice Saturday when the issue was broached.</p>
<p><em>Washington</em>, he was told. <em>You'll be playing Washington. Your old team.</em></p>
<p>"I don't recall playing for Washington," Crawford responded -- and he used this line twice.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Clearly, he's still not happy with how his final days in D.C. went.</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/4/6/4190824/jordan-crawford-pretends-wizards-career-never-existedMike Prada