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Wizards beat Celtics' reserves in OT; Boston gets No. 3 seed

Apr 12, 2011 - 5:24 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - John Wall finished with 24 points and nine rebounds as the Washington Wizards edged the Boston Celtics, 95-94, in an overtime battle at Verizon Center.

Jordan Crawford scored 17 with six assists while Andray Blatche added 16 points before fouling out as the Wizards won their fourth straight at home. JaVale McGee scored 13 with nine rebounds and five blocks.

Jeff Green and Glen Davis both finished with 20 points for the Celtics, who set the Eastern Conference playoff matchups with the loss. Boston entered the night a game behind the Miami Heat for the second seed, but after Miami dispatched Atlanta, the Celtics' loss put them two games back with only one remaining. They will play the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.

"The playoffs are a different level," Green said regarding looking back at the loss. "Every game counts and we just have to continue to move forward."

The Celtics rested four of their key anchors for a potential playoff run as Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce all watched from the sideline as the club fell for the third time in four games.

"We kind of took it as a sign of disrespect," Wall said regarding the Celtics choice to rest players. "We just wanted to come out and fight."

The Wizards tied the game at 60 entering the fourth and used an 8-2 run to open the quarter to take the lead. The Celtics kept it close and after two Davis baskets -- surrounding a Green jumper -- Boston was up 72-71. The Wizards retook the lead on the next possession but the Celtics went back on top thanks to a Carlos Arroyo three-pointer with 2:32 remaining.

Boston's lead widened to 83-77 with a Von Wafer layup just inside the final minute but all it could manage throughout the rest of regulation was a single Wafer free throw.

McGee was good on a finger roll layup with 48.4 seconds remaining and after Wall made three from the line with 21.2 ticks left it was a one-point game, 83-82.

Wafer then made his single free throw and with 5.4 seconds remaining before Crawford drove into the lane and made a midrange jumper to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Neither team was able to pull away in the extra period, and after a pair of Wafer free throws with 1:01 remaining it was tied at 92. Crawford put the Wizards up for the final time with 38.8 ticks remaining on a three. After Jermaine O'Neal made a short tip-in with 31.9 seconds remaining, the Celtics missed their final shot in the closing seconds to end the game.

Boston jumped out early, taking a 23-19 lead after one and widened its advantage to 44-37 at the break.

Game Notes

O'Neal finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds while both wafer and Delonte West scored 11 in the loss...West left the game in the opening minutes of the third quarter with a sprained ankle...Green grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds for the Celtics.