Celtics 113 - 111 Wizards
Final - OT
  for this game

Wizards aim to move above. 500 with Celtics in town

Jan 22, 2014 - 3:38 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Washington Wizards will try to get over .500 for the first time all season Wednesday night when they welcome the struggling Boston Celtics to the Verizon Center.

The Wiz opened the season 0-3 so getting over the hump record-wise has been a challenge. They've had chances, but none as good as Wednesday night when they get a sagging Celtics squad at home.

To show where the Wizards organization is heading, and where it's sadly been, the last time the Wizards were over .500 was a 2-1 to start the 2009-10 season.

"All I'm going to do is think about that in my sleep then go out there and play the right way, play the way we've been playing -- just go out and play basketball," said guard John Wall. "That's all we can do."

Washington got back to .500 with a 107-99 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day home victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

Bradley Beal had 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, while Marcin Gortat contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds. Kevin Seraphin scored 16 points and Wall added 14 for the Wizards, who have won four of their last five.

After Wednesday's bout with Boston, Washington heads west for four straight against Phoenix, Utah, Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Celtics are fading fast.

They've lost three straight, all since All-Star Rajon Rondo returned to the lineup. If it weren't for a win over the Toronto Raptors one week ago, the C's could be on a massive losing streak. As it stands, it's only three, but Boston has one victory in its last 13.

On Tuesday, the Celtics fell in South Beach to the Miami Heat, 93-86.

The Heat led by as many as 18 in the first half, but trailed by two in the fourth quarter before LeBron James netted seven of the game's last nine points.

"LeBron James happened, that was one thing," Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said. "The way they turned it up defensively, our guys struggled with that ... those guys made passing tough, they made catching hard, they made dribbling hard."

Kris Humphries had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Celtics. Brandon Bass scored 15 for Boston, while Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger finished with 12 points apiece. Charles Johnson gave the Celtics good production off the bench with 11 points.

Rondo missed all eight of his shots from the field and finished with one point. He did hand out five assists, but missed two critical free-throws late in the game.

Celtics guard Avery Bradley suffered a sprained right ankle and didn't return, making him out for Wednesday's game.

Washington won this season's only matchup with Boston on Dec. 21, snapping a seven-game losing streak to the Celtics.






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