Boston Celtics vs Washington Wizards Prediction & Match Preview - January 23rd, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards will go head-to-head in a 2021-22 NBA regular-season game at Capital One Arena.
The Celtics and Wizards are both on a two-game losing streak entering this contest. The Portland Trail Blazers handed Boston a 109-105 defeat in their previous outing, while the Wizards are coming off a 105-109 loss against the Toronto Raptors.
Match Details
Fixture: Boston Celtics vs Washington Wizards | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Sunday, January 23rd; 3:30 PM ET (Monday, January 24th; 2:30 AM IST).
Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC.
Boston Celtics Preview
The Boston Celtics' biggest struggle this season has been in the clutch. They have lost roughly 70% of their games that have gone down to the wire. The C's incurred another loss in the clutch in their previous outing against the Damian Lillard-less Trail Blazers.
They blew a 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, losing the tie by four points. The C's went scoreless from the 7.19 mark to the 1.16 mark. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 27 and 22 points, respectively, but the All-Star duo did not shoot efficiently. The former went 0-for-6 from the 3-point line, while the latter made only seven of his 20 shots from the field.
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The Boston Celtics need to improve down the stretch to produce wins consistently. It has been their Achilles heel throughout the campaign. The Washington Wizards could be lethal in the clutch, so the C's won't be able to afford another fourth-quarter meltdown.
Key Player - Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum hasn't been shooting the ball as well as he has had previously in his career. The 23-year-old has shot only three of 29 from the 3-point line across his last five games. Tatum needs to find his rhythm soon to help the Boston Celtics return to winning ways for good. He should look to get to the paint more, as that may help him get some of his confidence back and break out of his slump.
Boston Celtics Predicted Lineup
G - Dennis Schroder; G - Jaylen Brown; F - Jayson Tatum; F - Al Horford; C - Robert Williams III.
Washington Wizards Preview
The Washington Wizards will be bolstered by the return of head coach Wes Unseld Jr. from covid protocols. Their last two games have been close encounters that could have gone either way and they will be hoping to return to winning ways against the struggling Boston Celtics.
The Wizards are pretty solid when it comes to starting and closing out games. It's the middle period where they tend to struggle. This happened in their recent outing against the Raptors. Washington led by ten points by the end of the first quarter but trailed by 24 points entering the final quarter. They did well to erase that deficit and tie the game with 1:10 left on the game clock but ran out of steam in the dying seconds.
Tough ending.
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The Washington Wizards need to do better to get better in the middle stretch as that could complement their fourth-quarter scoring bursts, helping them win games easily. Another area they need to work on is limiting their turnovers. They had 17 against Toronto, which awarded their opponents 27 points on the night.
Key Player - Kyle Kuzma
Kyle Kuzma has been in terrific form for the Washington Wizards this season. The former LA Lakers forward has performed exceptionally well in the clutch, and his return after a one-game absence will bolster the team at both ends of the floor. The Wizards will need Kuzma to score efficiently against the Boston Celtics.
He has contributed at a decent rate in that department over his last few games, so he has the momentum on his side to do it again. Kuzma will also have to be at his best on defense as he will likely be tasked with limiting Jayson Tatum's impact on the game.
Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup
G - Spencer Dinwiddie; G - Bradley Beal; F - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope; F - Kyle Kuzma; C - Daniel Gafford.
Celtics vs Wizards Match Prediction
The Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards are two talented teams that haven't played to their full potential consistently. Both sides are coming off losing results, so they will be eager to play with a great amount of intensity. This could see their matchup go right down to the wire. Considering the C's struggles down the stretch and Washington having homecourt advantage, the latter will be the favorites by a slender margin to win this tie.
Where to watch Celtics vs Wizards
The game between the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards will be televised locally on NBC Sports Boston and NBS Sports Washington. Fans can also watch the match live online via NBA League Pass.