NBA Game Preview - Boston at Washington

Mon Jan 6, 2020 7:00 PM EST

The Boston Celtics visit the Washington Wizards on Monday night in search for their ninth win in 10 games.

If the Celtics are going to pull that off, they'd better keep in mind the lesson learned by recent NBA powers who breezed into Capital One Arena: Don't sleep on the Wizards.

Twice in the past week the undermanned Wizards jumped up and bit heavily favored visitors, beating the Miami Heat 123-105 on Dec. 30 and, after a pair of losses, the Denver Nuggets 128-114 on Saturday night.

Washington accomplished these wins without starters Bradley Beal, Rui Hachimura and Thomas Bryant, each in various stages of injury recovery with Beal (lower right-leg soreness) day-to-day and a possibility against Boston.

"Our thing is just getting our consistency right and ... making sure we are coming out and playing as hard as we can every time we step on the floor," Washington's Troy Brown Jr. said. "Right now, we are a young team and we are still trying learn that. You see what we are capable of when we play as a team and we play as hard as we can."

Brown scored 25 points and grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds off the bench. Washington's starters combined for just 36 points, but the reserves poured in 92, led by Ish Smith, who scored a career-high 32 points on 15-of-24 shooting.

Despite all the injuries, Washington has continued to play up-tempo regardless of who's on the floor.

"It's the way we want to play. We want to play with pace, we want to play with a flow. No matter who we're plugging in, that's the way we want to play," Smith said. "These are opportunities for all of us to play well and step up and hold down the fort. Then when the rest of the guys come in, that makes it obviously even better."

Boston continues its habit of falling behind early and winning. Against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, the Celtics trailed by double-digits early, faltered late but still held on for a 111-104 road win.

Jayson Tatum led Boston with 28 points on 12-for-15 shooting. Gordon Hayward added 24 points, Jaylen Brown another 19.

Tatum bounced back from a 2-for-16 shooting night against the Atlanta Hawks.

"Just sticking with it, not getting discouraged," he said. "That's the good thing about this league. If you play good or play bad, you need to forget about the last one."

Center Enes Kanter, an old-school-style post player, provided 17 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.

"If you look at the league, there's not many big men left playing with their back to the basket," Kanter said. "But hey, I love that tough, back-to-the-basket game -- rebounds, just like the old days."

Kanter and guard Brad Wanamaker will provide a physical counterpoint to Washington's speed and jump shooting crew off the bench.

"Their second unit with Wanamaker and Kanter, it's like two football players playing basketball," Bulls coach Jim Boylen said before Saturday's game. "They just bounce you around."

Boston was without star Kemba Walker, who missed his second straight game with the flu on Saturday. Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Walker might be able to return against the Wizards, who certainly won't be feeling sorry for Boston if he doesn't.

The Celtics won the first meeting between the teams 140-133 on Nov. 13 in Boston.

--Field Level Media