Preview: Celtics on a Roll as They Travel to Washington, Wizards Aim for Victory

On October 25, the NBA regular season continues with the reigning champion Boston Celtics facing off against the Washington Wizards on the road.

In their opening game, the Celtics put on a spectacular performance by hitting 29 three-pointers and defeating the New York Knicks 132-109, leaving the Knicks, who had significantly boosted their roster through a major trade, looking disheveled. Even though they missed 13 consecutive three-point attempts in the final moments, their performance was still impressive.

Celtics’ star player Jayson Tatum led the charge, making 14 of his 18 shots to score 37 points, grab 4 rebounds, and dish out 10 assists, including 8 of 11 from beyond the arc. His outstanding performance in both shooting and ball distribution also helped him vent some frustration from not winning the Finals MVP last season and being marginalized during the Olympics.

The rest of the Celtics’ starters also performed well, with Jrue Holiday scoring 18 points on 7 of 9 shooting, Malcolm Brogdon scoring 24 points on 8 of 13 shooting, Jaylen Brown scoring 23 points and 7 rebounds on 7 of 18 shooting, Al Horford scoring 11 points and 5 assists on 4 of 7 shooting, and Sam Hauser adding 10 points.

In contrast to the Celtics, who were in top form in their season opener, this is the Wizards’ first game of the season. They will have to muster all their strength to face the formidable defending champions.

During the offseason, the Wizards traded for veteran Malcolm Brogdon, acquired Jonas Valanciunas and Saddiq Bey, and selected Jalen Duren with the second overall pick in the draft, along with Karon Johnson and KeShawn George, two young prospects.

Compared to the Celtics, who are at the top of their game, the Wizards are still at the bottom, struggling to find their way up the mountain. The lack of a reliable leader is a significant issue for the team. Both Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole, who gained popularity due to their exposure with the Lakers and Warriors, have struggled to make substantial contributions to the Wizards despite having significant ball-handling responsibilities. Their inability to produce results has been evident in Washington.

The Wizards’ preseason performance was poor, and even their 118-117 win over the Knicks in the final preseason game doesn’t mean much, as preseason games are primarily for practice and are different from regular-season games.

In terms of injuries, Celtics’ key bench scorer Sam Hauser is questionable due to back discomfort, and Kristaps Porzingis is out for the short term. For the Wizards, new acquisitions Malcolm Brogdon and Saddiq Bey are confirmed to be absent.

While the two teams are not on the same level in terms of strength, the Wizards, playing at home and in their season opener, will certainly want to prove themselves. A narrow loss might be their best outcome in this game.

>>”>For more predictions and analysis of this game, click >>>