Celtics Aim to Dominate Wizards in Final Regular Season Matchup

BOSTON, Mass. — The Boston Celtics are heading into the final week of the NBA regular season poised for victory as they prepare to host the Washington Wizards on Sunday at 6 p.m. at TD Garden. Boston has secured 10 wins in its last 11 games, including a decisive 123-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday.

Despite a brief setback ending their nine-game winning streak with a loss to the Miami Heat, the Celtics rebounded impressively. They successfully shot 14 3-pointers against Phoenix, surpassing the 2022-23 Golden State Warriors for the most three-pointers made in a single NBA season. The Celtics currently boast 1,370 three-pointers with a shooting percentage of 36.8%.

The high-scoring Celtics are averaging 116.8 points per game, significantly bolstered by their recent offensive displays. In stark contrast, the Wizards face a challenging end to the season, with their record standing at 17-60, putting them at risk of falling short of 20 wins for the second consecutive year.

The Wizards recently fell to the Orlando Magic on Thursday, losing 109-97, despite a stellar performance from Bub Carrington, who set a career high with 32 points along with nine rebounds and seven assists. Entering Sunday’s match, Washington has won only two of its last ten games and is looking to avoid a season sweep by the Celtics, who have won all three previous encounters decisively.

The matchup details are as follows: When: Sunday, 6 p.m. Where: TD Garden, Boston TV, radio: NBCSB, WROR-FM 105.7. The betting line favors Boston by 20 points, with an over/under set at 226 points.

For the Wizards, their season statistics show they average 108.5 points per game while allowing 120.6 points, indicating challenges on both ends of the court. Comparatively, the Celtics are allowing 107.8 points per game, benefitting from a better overall field goal average of .463 against Washington’s .440.

In the context of individual performances, Celtics players Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, and Payton Pritchard each average over three made three-pointers per game, emphasizing their perimeter shooting prowess. Tatum, contributing significantly to Boston’s success, averages 26.9 points per game, ranking fifth in the league.

As the Celtics aim to solidify their playoff positioning, they currently lead the Eastern Conference with a record of 57-20, placing them eight games ahead of third-place New York. With five games remaining in the regular season, securing a strong finish will be crucial for Boston as they look to challenge league-leading Cleveland.

Rumsha Siddiqui can be reached at . Follow her on X.