Celtics at Wizards
THE STORY: Things have not gone the Boston Celtics’ way so far this season. Well, except when they play the Washington Wizards. The Celtics have won just five of their 14 games, but two of those victories have come against the NBA-worst Wizards, who host Boston again on Sunday. The biggest factor in those two wins was Rajon Rondo, who posted a triple-double in the 94-86 triumph at the Verizon Center on Jan. 1 and handed out 13 assists the next night at TD Garden. Rondo, who injured his wrist in a win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, sat out a loss to Phoenix on Friday and is questionable for Sunday. The Wizards have suddenly discovered how to score. After averaging 84.6 points through the first 12 games, Washington has put up 105.0 over its last three.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CSNE (Boston), CSW (Washington), NBATV
ABOUT THE CELTICS (5-9): Boston appeared to be finding a rhythm in that win over the Raptors as Rondo asserted himself as a scorer and took over the game. A hard fall in the third quarter knocked him out, however, and the Celtics looked lost without him on Friday. General manager Danny Ainge made some noise this week when he said he was willing to break up the “Big Three” of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, though each of those veterans are off to rough starts, thus limiting their trade value. Friday’s 79-71 loss matched the team’s lowest-scoring game in eight seasons.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (2-13): Washington turned some heads Wednesday with a 105-102 triumph over the NBA-best Oklahoma City Thunder. Second-year point guard John Wall thinks his team plays better in a high-scoring, transition style. “We’re not a half court team. We go 1-on-1 too much,” Wall said. Recent results back up that claim, though it would help if Wall could improve on his 36.5 shooting percentage and finish more in transition.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Garnett scored a season-high 24 points at Washington on Jan. 1 - one of only two 20-point games in 2011-12.
2. Wall committed seven turnovers at Boston on Jan. 2.
3. Only one of Washington’s top six scorers (JaVale McGee at 51.6) is shooting over 40 percent from the floor.