After two losses in Boston, the Wizards punched back and took one for themselves at home. They thrashed the Celtics to the tune of an 116-89 victory, racing ahead with a 22-0 run in the first quarter and never looking back. Boston now looks to snatch a victory in Washington and earn the chance to close out the series at home in game 5.
The Celtics need to readjust to take back control of the series.
The source of the Celt’s troubles so far has been none other than the Wiz’s star point guard himself, John Wall. While he hasn’t been the most efficient scorer, he’s the alpha and omega of this Wizards team. When he’s on the floor he’s assisting on nearly 50% of his teammate’s baskets. The perennial all-star has carved up the Celtics defense in transition as well as in the pick and roll. Wall uses his extraordinary quickness to explode downhill after a screen. The defense is forced to either sit back, surrender the midrange, and stop him from getting to the rim or to play him close, and risk Wall blowing by for a layup.
The thing is, Boston has the recipe for defending explosive guards who are the foundation of their offenses. The teams who are most successful in stopping Boston’s Isaiah Thomas can be the blueprint for their stopping of Wall. The best way to defend someone like John Wall is to force the ball out of his hands. The Celtics need to blitz him in every pick and roll, doubling aggressively and making someone else beat them. Marcin Gortat isn’t much of a playmaker when he has to catch the ball above the free throw line. Making Wall force the ball to him could very well stagnate the offense for stretches. The Wiz could size down and use Morris as a center/screener but that’s playing right into the Celtic’s hands. Gortat is a strong rebounder who Boston hasn’t really had an answer for, and taking him off the floor allows them to continue to play some of their super small lineups*.
This, of course, leaves the problem of Bradley Beal. Beal had a strong season and has shown himself to be a potent scorer. However, Beal has yet to put together a solid game against the C’s in the postseason. He’s only shooting 37% from the field so far but more troubling for Washington is his poor ball handling. The fourth-year guard has struggled against Marcus Smart primarily and is turning the ball over 3 times a game while only dishing out 3.7 assists. Beal’s struggles further give the Celtic’s a reason to force the ball out of Walls’ hands. Without another playmaker (and Brandon Jennings being streaky at best) the Wizards offense loses its potency.
The old adage stands, that it’s not a series until someone loses at home. At times the Wizards look to be almost unbeatable in Washington, but the Celtics look to prove otherwise.
* Coach Stevens has been throwing out a lineup with four guards and Al Horford that has sneakily been very solid. They swarm and scramble on defense faster than Washington has been able to move the ball. The only thing keeping them off the court has been rebounding woes, accentuated by Gortat’s strong play.
