Boston Celtics AT Washington Wizards
Jan 22, 2011 at 7:00 PM EST
Opening Line: Boston -6.5
Current Line: Boston -7
Opening Total: 193
Current Total: 191
Opening Moneyline: Bos -290 / Was +240
Current Moneyline: Bos -300 / Was +250
The big frontline that the Celtics assembled has been racking up DNPs at an alarming rate, leaving Celtics fans to wonder whether they will ever truly be at full strength. Shaq just joined Jermaine O’Neal and Kendrick Perkins on the list of injured Celtics’ centers. “It’s like a soap opera,” said Kevin Garnett, who has missed some games in his own right. “You’ve got to be ready on this team. You never know who’s going to go down.”
The Wizards are actually a decent team at home, with a 12-9 record. It’s just that they are 0-20 on the road which puts a mar on what could have been a decent record if they could have even just played .400 ball and won 8 of those games (that would put them at one game under .500).
John Wall hasn’t been playing his best basketball and at this point can be all but excluded from the Rookie of the Year race against the Clippers’ Blake Griffin.
Some betting trends:
Boston is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games and 8-3 SU in their last 11 road games. They are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 on the road and the total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 5 on the road. The total has gone OVER in 7 of their last 9 games against Washington and Boston is 7-1 SU in their last 8 games against the Wizards. The total has gone OVER in 10 of the last 13 meetings on the road at Washington.
Washington is 6-17 SU in their last 23 games and 4-1 SU in their last 5 home games. They are 1-7 SU in their last 8 games against the Celtics and the total has gone OVER in 7 of their last 9 games against Boston. They are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games against the Celtics.
Key Matchups:
Rajon Rondo vs. John Wall
These are undoubtedly two of the best young point guards to come through the NBA in the last 5 years and both will undoubtedly make many all star games over their careers. Rondo is leading the league in assists at over 13 a game and Wall is averaging 9.4 assists a game, a very high total for a rookie. His scoring has suffered of late, and he’s now only averaging 15.1 points per game, but the Wizards thought enough of his play to permanently rid themselves of Gilbert Arenas, who said he felt like a “zombie” in his last days in Washington. Rashard Lewis has joined John Wall’s attack and is playing rejuvenated ball. He faded into obscurity in Orlando but has emerged as a key frontcourt player for the Wizards.
Kevin Garnett vs. Andray Blatche
Blatche is a bit of a “homeless man’s” Kevin Garnett. Very long and agile like Garnett, he plays much smaller than he is at 6’11” Blatche averages 16.4 points per game and 8.3 boards a game. He also gets 1.5 steals a night and plays 35 minutes a games. Garnett’s numbers now in his old age are similar. Garnett is putting up 15.2 points per game and grabbing 9.2 boards, and like Blatche has a high number of steals with 1.7. Likely, these two players will nuetralize one another, as they are very similar players at this point in Garnett’s career.
The Celtics are 12-6 on the road, so it’s not as though they are going to be intimidated by the 12-9 home record of the Wizards, but if they don’t come out with enough energy, they could easily blow this game.
