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Celtics entertain Wizards in Beantown

Nov 17, 2010 - 4:08 PM (Sports Network) - The Washington Wizards were able to pull off a win last night without rookie sensation John Wall. Even if he's in the lineup Wednesday on the road against the Boston Celtics the odds of winning are still stacked against the Wizards.

Wall is nursing a sprained left foot sustained in Saturday's defeat at Chicago and is averaging 18.1 points and 9.8 assists per game. The No. 1 overall pick in June's NBA Draft missed Tuesday's 109-94 home victory over the Toronto Raptors, as Gilbert Arenas had 20 points in his first start of the season to lead Washington, which ended a two-game slide and won for just the second time in six chances. Arenas netted 10 points in the third quarter.

"It's been almost four years since I've really played the game," said Arenas, who started for the first time since serving a suspension for bringing guns into the Verizon Center last season. "Just going out there playing means a lot to me -- whether it's starting or coming off the bench."

Andray Blatche had a game-high 22 points, while Kirk Hinrich registered a double-double with 13 points and 12 assists.

Boston is 8-2 on the season and will try to push its home record to 5-0 this evening. It has won two straight and completed a four-game road trip with a 3-1 mark after Saturday's 116-110 overtime victory at Memphis.

Paul Pierce scored 28 points, Kevin Garnett had 18 points and nine rebounds and Rajon Rondo ended with 17 assists and 11 points for the Celtics, who got 18 points and six rebounds in a little more than 22 minutes from veteran center Shaquille O'Neal.

"If I get 10 shots, I can put up numbers here," O'Neal said. "I can still do it. I have 28,000 points for a reason. Hard work, consistency."

Ray Allen, who scored 15 points, Pierce and Garnett combined to score 13 of Boston's 17 points in overtime. The C's made 57.7 percent of their shots.

Celtics guard Delonte West is probable for tonight's game after serving a 10- game, league-mandated suspension that was handed down this summer after he pleaded guilty to a weapons charges in Maryland. West was drafted in the first round by Boston in 2004 and spent three seasons in Beantown before stints with Seattle and Cleveland. He played the past 2 1/2 years with the Cavaliers.

The Celtics took three of four meetings with Washington a season ago and have won seven of the past 11 matchups between the teams. The Wizards have dropped four of their previous six contests at TD Garden.