Knicks at Celtics
The Boston Celtics are trying to solve problems on both ends of the court after being embarrassed at Washington on Wednesday, and players are questioning the team's effort. The Celtics will try to put together a better performance when they return home on Friday and host the New York Knicks.
Boston was outscored 34-8 in the first quarter on Wednesday and never trailed by fewer than 15 points after the first few minutes before going on to lose 118-93. "We can't hold our heads," point guard Isaiah Thomas told ESPN.com. "One thing I think is, we're not the hardest-playing team no more. I think that's what made us special, that's what made us good, us playing harder than the other team. Being more scrappier, getting all the loose balls. Rebounds don't come to us no more because we're not playing hard." The Celtics will need to work harder on the defensive end to slow the Knicks, who are averaging 112 points while winning two of their last three games. Kristaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony are leading the charge and combined for 43 points and 15 rebounds in Wednesday's 110-96 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), CSN New England (Boston)
ABOUT THE KNICKS (3-4): New York backup point guard Brandon Jennings only chipped in three points in Wednesday's win but played a huge part with 11 assists in 27 minutes off the bench, and has developed a strong connection with Porzingis. "That's what I always tell (Porzingis), I try to find him to get easy buckets for him as much as possible," Jennings told reporters. "He's a guy on this team that needs the ball, that has to score for us to be successful. He's a guy that I always look for when I'm on the court." Porzingis is averaging 25.3 points and is 27-of-48 from the field in the last three games.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (3-4): Boston coach Brad Stevens pointed to rebounding as one of the team's biggest issues, and the Celtics rank last in the NBA with a minus-eight rebound differential. "It was blocking out from the perimeter most of the night," Stevens told reporters after Wednesday's loss. "“For the most part, it was their perimeter guys flying in. We’re doing the old watch-them-fly-by-us-and-rebound. We have to be a team that’s even on the glass to have a chance to win. And we have to work really hard to be even." Thomas, a 5-9 point guard, led the starting five and tied for the team lead with six rebounds against the Wizards.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Celtics C Al Horford (concussion) missed the last four games and remains day-to-day.
2. New York rookie C Willy Hernangomez got his first extended playing time on Wednesday and delivered 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting in 15 minutes.
3. Boston took six of the last seven meetings.