It wasn’t so much that the Wizards beat the Celtics Saturday at Verizon Center, it was how.
Engaging the NBA powerhouse in its numbing bump-and-grind, dominating the glass, rallying in the fourth quarter, and winning a slugfest Boston-style, 85-78, was perhaps a transforming prescription for a team trying to establish it’s toughness.
“The NBA is physical. But this game was, I don’t know, a Stephen King novel. It was very physical,” said Wizards coach Eddie Jordan. “I don’t think we’ve been in a game like this, and won.”
Now the trick is for Washington (19-16) to duplicate the recipe tonight at Boston (30-5).
“We know what we’re in for,” said Wizards forward Antawn Jamison. “The crowd is gonna be crazy. It would be good to get a victory against the best team in the NBA. But it would be even better to face them so quickly and get a victory on their home court.”
Jamison’s work Saturday (10 points on 4 of 15 shooting, 16 rebounds) was a microcosm of his team’s. The Wizards shot only 37 percent, including 2 of 18 from 3-point range, but compensated with a 49-30 edge on the boards against the team with the league’s best rebounding differential. In snapping Boston’s road winning streak at 10, Washington got 26 second-chance points while giving up six.
The Wizards held Boston to its season-low as Caron Butler (16 points, 10 rebounds) out-played Paul Pierce (15 points, 4 rebounds, 6 turnovers) and DeShawn Stephenson (19 points) harassed Ray Allen (8 points) into 3 of 13 shooting.
“Caron was great. DeShawn was great,” said Jordan. “Those two are our tough-juice guys, our lockdown defensive guys. Those two led the charge and everyone else followed.”
After trailing most of the second half, Washington scored on its final seven possessions. Antonio Daniels hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and Stephenson scored seven points in the final 74 seconds, closing the game with an emphatic breakaway dunk.
Boston was without starting point guard Rajon Rondo (back). His replacement, Tony Allen, had eight points, four turnovers, and no assists. Afterward, Boston coach Doc Rivers said Rondo was “doubtful” for tonight. If he doesn’t play, look for Eddie House (11 points, 5 assists) to play more.
The Wizards are in third place in the Eastern Conference. With a win, they would get to four games over .500 forthe first time this year.
“A signature win catapults you. We’ll have to see if this catapults us,” said Jordan. “I’ve seen major wins go down the drain the next few weeks. It’s how you go from here.”
Wizards at Celtics
When » 7:30 tonight
» Boston has not lost back-to-back games this season.
» After playing Tuesday at struggling New York, Washington returns home for games against New York (Friday) and Dallas (Monday).
