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Match Details
Fixture: Washington Wizards vs Boston Celtics
Date & Time: Thursday, August 13th, 2020, 12:00 PM ET (9:30 PM IST)
Venue: AdventHealth Arena, Disney World, Orlando, FL
In a battle of two young Eastern Conference teams, the third-seeded Boston Celtics take on the ninth-seeded Washington Wizards. The Wizards are out of contention for the playoffs while the Celtics have cemented their spot as the third seed.
Washington Wizards preview
The Washington Wizards are out of contention for the playoffs after their poor showing in the NBA bubble. They have not managed to win a single game so far and are languishing at the ninth spot in the Eastern Conference.
Without Bradley Beal and John Wall, the young Washington Wizards have struggled on both ends of the floor. The only bright spot for them is Rui Hachimura and Ish Smith putting up decent performances which the Wizards can build on in seasons to come.
With their campaign this season coming to an end, the Washington Wizards will hope to upset the Boston Celtics in a final flourish as they prepare to leave the NBA bubble.
Key player - Rui Hachimura
Rookie Rui Hachimura has had an excellent first season with the Washington Wizards. He has been averaging 13.5 points and 6.1 rebounds while being the third option behind Bradley Beal and John Wall. In the seeding games so far he has had three 20 point games and has been the Washington Wizards' primary scoring option.
His match-up against the Celtics' elite defense will be key to the Wizards' chances.
Washington Wizards predicted lineup
Isaac Bonga, Jerome Robinson, Troy Brown Jr., Rui Hachimura, Thomas Bryant
Also Read: Top 5 players with most 60 point games in NBA history
Boston Celtics preview
The Boston Celtics will be very pleased with their performance in the seeding games. Having held onto the third spot in the East, they can now afford to use this final game to rest some key players in preparation for the playoffs.
In their previous game, they handily beat the Memphis Grizzlies with a final score of 122-107. Jayson Tatum led the way with 29 points while Kemba Walker put up 19 points. Walker's return to form after his knee injury is a great sign for the Boston Celtics, who have title aspirations this season.
The Boston Celtics also have a deep bench led by Marcus Smart and Brad Wannamaker. They will likely have bench players playing significant minutes in this game against the Washington Wizards to prepare for the playoffs.
Key player - Jayson Tatum
Boston Celtics' All-Star Jayson Tatum has been the leader of the team ever since Kyrie Irving left last season. He has been having a breakout year averaging 23.4 points and 7 rebounds a game this season. While he struggled to find his rhythm initially in the seeding games, he has shown us his class with high scoring and clutch performances in recent games.
Tatum's performance will be key to the Boston Celtics in this game against the Washington Wizards.
Boston Celtics predicted lineup
Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward, Daniel Theis
Washington Wizards vs Boston Celtics Match Prediction
The Boston Celtics are expected to win this game handily even if they bench their starters for most of the game. The Washington Wizards team is very young and inexperienced and will find it very difficult to score against the elite defense of the Boston Celtics.
We expect Jayson Tatum to be the star of the show if coach Brad Stevens plays him for extended minutes. Expect the Boston Celtics to fill up the stat sheets in this game against the Washington Wizards.
Where to watch Wizards vs Celtics?
Local coverage of the match can be seen on NBC Sports Boston and NBC Sports Washington. This game will not be broadcast on national television. You can also live stream the fixture via NBA League Pass.
Also Read: Can the Phoenix Suns make the NBA Playoffs? - Western Conference qualification scenario
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