Celtics at Wizards
The Boston Celtics were questioning everything about their team after getting crushed at home by the Denver Nuggets on Sunday and hope a couple days of practice provided some answers. The Celtics will try to put out a better effort when they visit the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
Boston allowed 43 points in the first quarter and 77 in the first half while suffering the 123-107 setback against Denver and endured a tough film session on Monday in which all the mistakes were detailed. "It was horrible," guard Marcus Smart told ESPN.com. "Everybody was disgusted with it. Everybody was disgusted with themselves and the way the team played. We know that's not how we play and that something that has to change, and that starts with each other and started today in practice." The Wizards could use some answers as well after falling 114-106 at home to the Houston Rockets on Monday - their fifth loss in six games beginning the season. Washington only played one team so far that did not make the playoffs last season - an 88-86 loss at Orlando on Saturday - and is struggling on the defensive end.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN New England (Boston), CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington)
ABOUT THE CELTICS (3-3): Boston, which was one of the better defensive teams in the league while allowing opponents to shoot 44.1 percent last season, allowed a total of 251 points in back-to-back losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Nuggets. "At this point, we’re all talk," point guard Isaiah Thomas told reporters. "That’s all we’re doing. So, until we put it together in a full 48-minute game and show what we can do at that end, we’re not gonna be a top defensive team." Coach Brad Stevens hinted that changes to the lineup and substitution patterns could be in order after accusing his team of playing like a "finesse" team on the defensive end in Sunday's loss.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (1-5): Washington was in the bottom third of the league in defensive field goal percentage (46.2) last season and surrendered at least 112 points in four of its six games this season. The Wizards held consecutive opponents under 93 points before letting up again on that end on Monday, when the Rockets shot 51.9 percent from the field and drained 17-of-37 3-pointers. John Wall, who sat out Saturday's loss at Orlando to rest his surgically repaired knees, committed six turnovers and was ejected with 33.3 seconds left for bumping a referee and using vulgar language.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Wizards F Markieff Morris is 15-of-50 from the field in the last four games.
2. Celtics C Al Horford is not progressing in the concussion protocol and is unlikely to play Wednesday.
3. Boston took all four meetings last season by an average of 20 points.