Celtics at Wizards
Less than two weeks after a contentious affair that spilled into the hallway between the locker rooms, the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards will renew acquaintances Tuesday in the nation's capital. Wizards guard John Wall and Celtics forward Jae Crowder were at the center of the post-buzzer altercation after Boston's 117-108 win at TD Garden, but police officers were forced to stand between the locker rooms after the game to prevent any further issues.
It was the latest in a string of chippy encounters over the past few seasons between the Eastern Conference foes. "They talk a little more. They say a little more disrespectful things than other teams," Crowder told ESPN. "So that's what escalated it." Crowder and several other Celtics talked about the importance of focusing on the task at hand, which is vital given the fact that they've lost two straight and will be taking on a Wizards' squad that has won 13 in a row at home, the fourth-longest run in team history. Washington capped a 2-1 road trip with a 109-99 victory in Charlotte on Monday, its eighth win in the last 10 games overall.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN New England (Boston), CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington)
ABOUT THE CELTICS (26-17): Boston will once again be without guard Avery Bradley (Achilles), and he is expected to remain sidelined through the rest of the week. Bradley has missed six games this month and the team is 3-3 while giving up an average of 112.5 points without one of their better defenders. Isaiah Thomas continues to pick up the slack on the offensive end, producing 80 points in the back-to-back losses and averaging 36.7 in the seven games that Bradley has missed this season.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (24-20): Wall had 24 points and Otto Porter Jr. chipped in 14 points and 13 boards for his seventh double-double in the win over Charlotte. Sharpshooter Bradley Beal showed signs of emerging from a slump by making 4-of-9 3-pointers on the heels of back-to-back 0-for-7 efforts from long range. Beal scored 35 points in the loss at Boston earlier this month.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Porter scored a career-high 34 points and tied a career high with 14 rebounds in a 118-93 win over the Celtics at home on Nov. 9.
2. Wizards SF Kelly Oubre Jr. has scored in double figures in a career-high three straight games.
3. G Marcus Smart has started all seven games that Bradley has missed and is shooting 11-for-45 from the field - including 2-for-18 from beyond the arc - in the last four.