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In their first meeting of the 2020-2021 NBA season, the Washington Wizards will take on the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden on Friday.
The Wizard boasts of having one of the most dynamic backcourt duos in the league in Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook. However, they have fallen short of their own expectations at the beginning of this campaign. Despite their losing record though, both players have put in impressive performances that have got NBA fans around the world buzzing with excitement. The Wizards will look to turn things around and make a statement this Friday as they battle it out with a red-hot Celtics team.
The Boston Celtics are off to a great start with six wins and three losses, tied for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. They are coming in on a three-game winning streak and will look to add another win to their already impressive season record. The Celtics are being led by their star duo in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Both of them have played stellar basketball for their side, helping them cruise to victory night after night.
Washington Wizards vs Boston Celtics Prediction: Combined Starting 5
Both sides have multiple all-star caliber players who have put up great individual numbers this season. This matchup has all the makings of an entertaining battle that fans will be looking forward to. Let us have a look at a hypothetical combined starting-five of both teams ahead of their matchup on Friday.
Point Guard - Russell Westbrook (Washington Wizards)
Russell Westbrook is a nine-time NBA All-Star and 2016-2017 league MVP. He is a generational talent. Westbrook is one of the most athletically gifted stars in the NBA and continues to perform at an elite level on a nightly basis.
Westbrook's all-time triple-double record in the NBA keeps improving and could catch up with the no.1 on the list, 'the Big O' basketball Hall-of-Famer Oscar Robertson.
Russell will play the point position in our hypothetical list of combined five for the Wizards and the Celtics.
Shooting Guard - Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards)
Bradley Beal picked up things right from where he left off last season, and has averaged 30 points this campaign. He has been on the rise the past couple of seasons and is looking forward to a great season with his new backcourt partner in Russell Westbrook.
Beal is coming off an impressive 60-point game in his previous matchup and is looking in ominous form.
Beal comes in at the shooting guard position in our combined starting five, where he will be a terror for opposing teams due to his scoring abilities.
Small Forward - Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)
Jaylen Brown has been at the top of his game this season and has played a vital role in the Celtic's success thus far.
The 24-year-old shooting guard has taken up a bigger responsibility for himself and has performed well, averaging 26.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in nine games this season. He is an ideal candidate for the small forward position as he can contribute on both ends of the floor.
Power Forward - Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
Jayson Tatum has developed an all-around game and taken a leap this season as he fills up the stat sheet on a nightly basis. The 22-year-old was named an All-Star for the first time last season and hasn't looked back since. He is the centerpiece around which the Celtics hope to build a championship-caliber team.
This season he is averaging an impressive 26.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in nine games so far. He is shooting the ball 46% from the field and 45% from beyond the arc. He will hold down the paint area in our list of combined starting five.
Center - Tristan Thompson (Boston Celtics)
Tristan Thompson is one of the elite centers on the league and has won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2016, where they came back from a 3-1 series deficit. Tristan played a vital role in that series and protected the rim with authority.
He continues to play the game at a high level and will complete this list as our center. Thompson is averaging 8.4 points, 8.5 rebounds in eight games this season for the Boston Celtics.
