Wizards at Celtics
The Boston Celtics are in the midst of a four-game slide but at least looked like the effort was improving in the latest setback. The Celtics will try to find some common ground and get back in the win column when they host the Washington Wizards on Friday.
Veteran guard Marcus Smart told reporters Boston was "just not together" after a 118-95 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday but the team was singing a different tune after the 97-92 setback to the Portland Trail Blazers at home the following night. "I think our guys really wanted to play the right way, make certain shots, do certain things," center Al Horford told reporters. "But I just appreciated the effort. Guys were playing hard, trying to do the right things. We just didn't make enough plays to win." The Wizards snapped a four-game slide with a 125-116 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday but sit 11 games below .500 and three games behind the Charlotte Hornets for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference. Washington is playing its sixth straight game against a team in the top eight of the East and is 1-4 so far in that span.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, NBCS Boston
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (25-36): All-Star guard Bradley Beal is doing everything he can to drag Washington to victories and is averaging 34.4 points over the last five contests. Beal went 12-of-22 from the floor in Wednesday's win and is shooting 58 percent in three games since the break. "I just want to win – whatever it looks like," Beal told reporters. "Sometimes it's going to involve me scoring 30-plus and some nights I won't have to. So, whatever it looks like, I want to go out there and get it done. ... I've just got to continue to get better. I'm super confident right now in my game and I'm just trying to make the playoffs."
ABOUT THE CELTICS (37-25): Boston scored fewer than 100 points in three of the last four contests and went 5-of-28 from 3-point range in Wednesday's loss. "Today was good. I mean, it sucks we didn't - we didn't shoot the ball well, but that's part of it," Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters. "I thought that - I actually just told the guys, like, you walk out of here a little bit more encouraged because the reason we lost, if anything, was we didn't make shots and I think it was because we were pressing." All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving was immune to the shooting struggles and scored 31 points on 14-of-24 shooting - 3-of-5 from 3-point range - in the setback.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Celtics PG Terry Rozier (knee) sat out Wednesday but is probable for Friday.
2. Wizards SF Trevor Ariza recorded his third double-double since joining the team in December with 23 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday.
3. Three of the last four meetings went to overtime, including Boston's 130-125 win at Washington in the first matchup this season on Dec. 12.