Washington Wizards: Anatomy of a Wizards’ Loss – Round 2
Celtics Crushed the Wizards.
Literally. This game was much more physical than the first, bodies and blood were flying everywhere. But the Wizards did not match the Celtics physicality.
Markieff Morris who had to leave Game-1, in the second quarter, after rolling his ankle falling on Al Horford’s foot after a jump shot, returned for Game-2. Morris didn’t care what the medical staff assessment was he was walking through that door.
Keef is one player that former Coach Randy Wittman cannot call soft.
On Sunday, Horford took Keef out of the game, and the second Keef was out, Boston smelled blood in the Boston Harbor.
Once Keef is gone, the Celtics know that the Wizards have lost the toughness and edge that Keef brings.
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But in Game 2, just like the regular season, it was Keef who took himself out of the game by getting into early foul trouble.
Again, once Keef sat, the pendulum swung, and the Celtics started to dominate the Wizards, erasing Washington’s double-digit lead.
Celtics Make Dirty Plays look Clean
Much has been talked about whether Horford placing his foot in the position, where a player would land coming down from his jump shot was intentional.
And CSN-Mid Atlantic found archival footage, where Horford while playing for Atlanta, did that same thing to Bradley Beal.
David Aldridge brought up the 2015 incident during the game, with the old adage, “Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is a habit.”
During, the last melee during the regular season, Thomas was nowhere near it and did not even know it was happening.
When the Celtics returned to the locker room, Thomas reminded them that they’re ‘not built for that, Floyd Mayweather who was sitting courtside is, let’s keep it hoop.’
The Celtics are not a dirty team. But Al Horford, Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley are smart enough to make a dirty play to look clean. That’s what they do. And the Wizards have to stop falling for that.
There was a play where John Wall was driving to the basket, and Horford hip-checked him. The ball went out of bounds, Wall put his hands up but the referees didn’t see that. No foul.
Avery Bradley, while the Wizards are running offense towards their basket, pushes Beal, who does not have the ball, before they even reach the timeline.
Bradley Beal argues with the referee, asking where’s the foul in that.
On one of Thomas’ corner-threes, Horford holds Wall in an arm lock, so Wall is unable to guard Thomas. No foul called.
Give the Wizards some credit, they’re out in the open about it when they get physical. For example, Keef asked Horford before the game started, if Horford rolled his ankle on purpose.
A minute into the game and after that exchange, Keef lifted Horford off the ground and threw him onto the Wizards’ owner Ted Leonsis who was sitting courtside.
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Obviously Keef didn’t mean for Horford to have a soft landing onto the Leonsis. But at least he kept it real.
Keef sent Horford a message, whether it was intentional or not, you’re not going to be reckless with me. Horford got the message loud and clear, that he better not make it a “habit”.
When Porter went up for a layup, Crowder just took him out, and Porter was on the floor cradling his arm. The screen panned to Wizards’ President Ernie Grunfeld, who had a few words not fit for print.
The screen also showed Celtics President Danny Ainge rubbing his hands together, when it was called a common foul instead of a Flagrant -1.
While Crowder looked at the referee with bewilderment as if he didn’t do anything wrong.
The aforementioned crew makes dirty plays look clean. The Wizards don’t have to get down in the mud with them, but they have to match their physicality with physicality.
The Celtics just can’t just go around giving body blows to the Wizards
The luck of the Irish has run out. First, the Chicago Bulls lost Rajon Rondo who was able to help the Bulls steal the first two games at the Celtics. Keef makes his own luck.