Banner Town Breakdown: Celtics vs. Wizards (August 13, 2020)
The Celtics took on the Washington Wizards in their final seeding game. It was a close game throughout, but considering the Celtics played none of their top six players, I’d say that’s a successful game.
While the offense definitely seemed to run less smoothly than normal, I think a large part of that was simply because none of the starters played. Most of the bench guys who played are fighting to prove that they deserve playoff minutes. The only guy who played that I would argue has a set place in the playoff rotation is Brad Wanamaker (6 points, 4 assists).
One of the main things I was looking for going into this game was the battle between Enes Kanter (8 points, 5 rebounds) and Robert Williams (6 points). They may be on the same team, but the way I see it is that they’re both fighting for the same playoff minutes. A lot of it will come down to matchup, but with the recent play of Williams, Kanter really had to play his best in this one.
Luckily for him, he did. Kanter was completely in his element and it seemed like there was no one on the Wizards who could stop him in the post. Washington continuously brought the double team his way, but he always managed to get his buckets.
Since we’re talking about the center position, I think it’s important to mention how impressive Thomas Bryant looked (26 points, 9 rebounds) in this game. He was hustling more than anyone, looked stronger than anyone, and played with the intensity level of someone trying to win a game seven. Not only is Bryant super strong under the basket, but his ability to stretch the floor just makes his game that much more versatile. He’s still very young, and I think he can be a solid piece to help the Wizards in the future.
Outside of Bryant, there isn’t much to talk about with Washington. Troy Brown Jr. (17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals) played okay and Johnathan Williams (5 points, 16 rebounds) killed it on the boards. Other than that it was another lackluster performance for the shorthanded Wizards.
Moving on to other pieces of the game, Brad Stevens let the young guys flourish this game. Both Romeo Langford (6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists) and Tremont Waters (7 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals) played well and showed their potential. Langford was a machine driving to the rim. His ability to fight through contact and finish looks like it’s trending in the right direction. He’s also super solid on the defensive end.
Speaking of good defenders, Waters has been amazing on that end of the floor. He finished the game with a bunch of steals, and seemed like a complete irritant on defense. As for offense, he needs to hit his threes with a bit more consistency, but the shot is definitely there. Then there’s his passing, which is my favorite part about his game.
The player of the game for Boston, though, has to be Javonte Green (23 points, 4 rebounds). Not only was he hustling per usual, but he was finally able to make some shots this game. He was really hitting them from the right wing, and by the end of the game looked comfortable pulling up anywhere behind the line. Green was also pretty good driving to the lane. His game just looked great all around, and while he may not see many playoff minutes, everything counts as he fights for a roster spot next season.
Also, how can I not mention Tacko Fall (4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks). He saw some decent minutes in this game after barely playing yet in Orlando. A couple quick fouls caused some concern, but overall he looked okay. A couple blocks and a few rebounds led to the statline Celtics fans are used to seeing from Fall. He just needs to work on his game knowledge and conditioning.
The Celtics fought hard down the stretch with a couple strong possessions on both sides of the floor. A late out of bounds call that was overturned in the Celtics favor even gave a glimmer of hope. In the end, though, the Celtics bench wasn’t enough to take down struggling Wizards. Bryant’s energy, and very excessive screaming, led the Wizards to their first and only win in the bubble.
This game never meant much to Boston anyways, and the loss doesn’t concern me in the slightest. All that matters now is looking ahead at Philadelphia and doing everything possible to take them down in round one.
The play-in games for the Western Conference eighth seed are August 15th and 16th, and after that the playoffs finally start. Let’s go Celtics. Joel Embiid isn’t ready.
