Final: Wizards 116, Celtics 105 - Celtics all over the place in another tough loss

Game 5: Celtics vs Wizards
TD Garden
7:30 PM, NBC Sports Boston

PROJECTED STARTERS

BOSTON: Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Robert Williams

WASHINGTON: Kyle Kuzma, Spencer Dinwiddie, Bradley Beal, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Daniel Gafford

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

- Romeo Langford remains out tonight. 

“He tested it, got some treatment yesterday,” Ime Udoka said. “Didn't feel great today. But he felt better than in Houston and Charlotte. So hopefully it's not a long-term thing. He got an MRI and it was nothing serious, so he’ll be back soon.”

- Boston is favored by 4

GOING A LITTLE DEEPER

- Aaron Nesmth looked like he was poised for a real opportunity this season. He showed progress in summer league and in the preseason, but in the regular season, things changed.

“I think he's pressing a little bit and rushing,” Udoka said before the game. “We’re working on just taking your time, taking the shots. Felt like he rushed a few, especially in Houston. So that comes with being a young guy at times and we want him to slow it down and play like he did in summer league.”

That is certainly something that can happen with a guy who feels like he only has certain chances to crack the rotation. Putting pressure on himself to perform can lead to poor decisions. 

“We're confident in him, he's got some great looks that he's missed, as have other guys in the early season, but he's a guy we'll definitely rely on,” Udoka said. “With Romeo being out, there's opportunity for him there. So just got to slow down and take the shots that he always has and play hard defense and that's all we're asking of him.”

Nesmith didn’t get into the game against Charlotte, but Udoka says that was more due to circumstance. 

“Last game was sort of a product of Al being out and we needed bigger bodies in there,” he said. “So we went with Jabari (Parker) instead. So it wasn't as much of what he hasn't done as much as what we needed.”

- Parker says he’s ready for any opportunity. Parker’s 4-4, 11 point first quarter against Charlotte was huge for Boston. It helped keep the game close until the rest of the big guns could get on track.

“Coach told me before the game just to be prepared,” Parker said. “But like every other game, every game, especially--  I'm always keeping the same mentality, just staying ready, because I enjoy the game of basketball. So I just do what I do.”

Parker looked to be on the way out when he was cut before the season started, but that turned out to be a financial move for the Celtics rather than a personnel one. Still, it presented Parker with a choice. 

“I just knew it was the right place to be,” he said. “This is a winning team and iron sharpens iron, so if anything, I'm going to get better here playing against the guys every day, being around true competitors, and obviously get a chance for me to learn. So this is just a great situation just because I'm just grateful for it and I'm counting my blessings.”

- No captains yet.

“That kind of took a backseat when things happened in the preseason,” Udoka said. “Guys were out -- obviously, Jaylen and Al, so I was more focused on our rotations and lineups and continuity than captains.”

The way Udoka is talking about things, it seems like he might be trending away from the captain idea after all. 

“Guys lead in several different ways,” he said. “Marcus, Al are probably the more vocal guys; Jayson and Jaylen do it with their play, more so than their speaking. So a lot of guys contribute and if they all bring what they bring, I’m more happy than not than having to designate captains.”

THREE THINGS TO WATCH FOR

1. Defend without fouling. Bradley Beal especially loves getting to the line but the Wizards are eighth in the NBA in free throws attempted and third in free throws made (which puts them fourth in free throw percentage). They will get to the line and they’ll make you pay once they’re there. 

2. Move the ball, move yourself. I’m harping on the cutting because it will lead to easy baskets against a team that has opened the season with the seventh-best defense in the league. They held the Nets to 90 points in their last game, so the Celtics probably should focus on getting the ball popping and getting some easy baskets. 

3. The Robert Williams/Al Horford pairing. Can Rob continue to sling it with Horford on the floor? It’s one of the early storylines I’m watching. This isn’t like last year’s double-big situation, but I’m starting to wonder if more staggering is necessary here to maximize both guys.

GAME THREAD

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