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Boston Celtics (20-2) at Washington Wizards (3-15)
Thursday, December 11
8:00 PM ET
Game #23, Road Game #10
TV: TNT, CSN HD
Radio: WEEI
Verizon CenterProbableStarters PG Rajon Rondo 10.3 PPG 7.6 APG 2.3 SPG
SG Ray Allen 19.2 PPG 2.7 APG .393 3P%
SF Paul Pierce 18.2 PPG 6 RPG 3.5 APG
PF Kevin Garnett 16.4 PPG 9.4 RPG 1.4 BPG
C Kendrick Perkins 8 PPG 8.1 RPG 1.8 BPG
Key off the Bench T Allen/Davis/House/Powe/Scalabrine
Other Reserves Patrick O'Bryant
Gabe Pruitt
Sam Cassell
D LeagueBill Walker
JR Giddens
Injured None
Probable Starters PG Juan Dixon 6 PPG 3.4 APG .393 3P%
SG Deshawn Stevenson 8.3 PPG 3.7 APG .291 3P%
SF Caron Butler 21.9 PPG 6.8 RPG 4.3 APG
PF Antawn Jamison 20.7 PPG 9.6 RPG .4 BPG
C Javale McGee 7.9 PPG 4.7 RPG 1.3 BPG
Key Reserves Blatche/Songalia/Young/Daniels/McGuire
Other ReservesEtan Thomas
Juan Dixon
Oleksiy Pecherov
InjuredGilbert Arenas (knee) out
Brendan Haywood (wrist) out
Key Matchups vs
Paul Pierce vs Caron Butler
vs
Kevin Garnett vs Antawn Jamison
Even though the Wizards are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, it isn't the fault of Butler or Jamison. Both have been playing very well and they are currently 1st in the league in combined starting forward scoring. Both of these matchups should be very good and Pierce and KG will need to work on the defensive end.
Honorable MentionRajon Rondo vs Dee Brown
Brown was signed as a 3rd string point guard but because of injuries he got the chance to start. Rondo should be able to dominate this matchup.
Game NotesThe Wizards are 2-8 at home and 1-12 against Eastern conference foes. They have lost 3 in a row while the Celtics are going for their 13th straight win.
Last season, the Wizards won the series 2 games to 1. The Celtics won one in Boston while the Wizards won one at home and a second game in Boston.
Team ConnectionsCaron Butler and Ray Allen are former UConn Huskies
Nick Young and Gabe Pruitt were teammates at USC
DeShawn Stevenson played for Doc in Orlando
Darius Songalia was drafted by the Celtics with the 50th pick in 2002
Antonio Daniels and Ray Allen were teammates in Seattle
Brian Scalabrine played for Eddie Jordan in NJ while Jordan was an assistant there.
Tom Thibodeau was set to join the Wizards last season as an assistant but left the club after his first practice with them.
X-Factor Trap Game
The Wizards are last in the Eastern Conference with a 3-15 record but yet they have the highest scoring forward duo in the league. This team gave the Celtics problems last season and if the Celtics take them for granted and look past them to the Hornets game, the Wizards may be able to pull off an upset.