3 Key matchups Wizards must win if they hope to knock off the Celtics

The Washington Wizards sit at 2-11 with a chance to break their nine-game losing streak and avoid a double-digit losing skid. However, they'll have their hands full when the defending champions come into town on Friday night.

Washington opened the regular season against the Boston Celtics on their home floor back in October, and the outcome of the Eastern Conference showdown was as expected. The Wizards fell short in a 122-102 loss after hanging around with the champs for most of the first half.

Following a trip to the White House yesterday, the Celtics will surely be looking to add another win to their record while showing that they have every intention of returning to D.C. next year for another White House appearance.

That said, if the Wizards hope to protect their home court and break their losing streak, here's a look at three key matchups for a win.

Jordan Poole vs. Celtics backcourt

In their last battle, Jordan Poole got off to a hot start with a huge first half against the Celtics. The guard finished the matchup with 27 points, four assists and one rebound in the loss, but shooting 9/17 from FG range and knocking down six threes he showed he has what it takes to keep the Wizards in a scoring matchup.

The Michigan product is known to be an explosive scorer, and if he can find a way to knock down shots efficiently while also getting his teammates involved early, Washington's chance against the C's will only increase.

Defensive matchup against the Jays

One of the biggest reasons the Celtics have been so dominant over the last few years is the emergence of their star duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Both versatile wings can explode for 50-point games, but they can also take what the defense gives them and get their teammates involved,

If the Wizards hope to have any hope against Boston, their first step will be to find a way on defense to slow down the Jays.

Rebounding battle in the front court

The Celtics are one of the top teams in the league and that's often perceived as a team who has zero weaknesses. And while that's nearly true, there's one area the C's have struggled this season and that's the rebounding department.

Boston has struggled all season long grabbing rebounds, especially offensive boards. If the Wizards can give them a fit on the glass, they could keep themselves in the game with a chance to steal a win.