Playoff-bound Wizards too tough
When asked if what happened in the fourth quarter last night at the TD Banknorth Garden was a byproduct of Washington being playoff bound and Boston being lottery bound, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, ''I guess. You know, you could see that. And you could even say that . . . They're clearly getting ready for something, and we're clearly not."
It was the easiest way Rivers could explain the Wizards dismantling the Celtics in the final period en route to a 108-91 victory before 18,624 who had been cruelly teased with the possibility of a Boston victory for almost 40 minutes. The Celtics refused to fold during the first three quarters. They came back from an 11-point deficit in the first, an 8-point deficit in the second, and an 8-point deficit in the third.
Then came the disastrous fourth.
After Paul Pierce nailed a 3-pointer with 7 minutes 27 seconds left, Boston did not score another field goal. The Celtics' 6-point deficit (91-85) quickly ballooned as the Wizards closed with a 17-6 run. Gilbert Arenas (38 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists), who was virtually unstoppable last night, sparked the run with a 3-pointer and capped it with another trey.
The Celtics shot just 21 percent (3 for 14) in the fourth and was outscored, 29-13, and outrebounded, 11-6, in the quarter. Although not every member of the team has conceded the Celtics' season will end in two weeks, Rivers gave significant minutes to his young reserves -- Tony Allen, Gerald Green, and Orien Greene -- along with starter Kendrick Perkins.
''I thought our young guys in the first half were terrific," said Rivers. ''In the second half, they were not. I do understand putting them all in at the same time is dangerous. I don't really care. They need to get out there and play minutes and I'm going to keep doing it."
The Wizards have proven a difficult matchup for the Celtics. Playing on tired legs, albeit often young ones, Boston did not have enough energy to stage a fourth-quarter comeback for the second night in a row. The previous three games between Boston and Washington were decided by a total of 4 points.
''Guys were disappointed in our play," said Paul Pierce (29 points, 7 rebounds). ''We're certainly not a team that's going to give in just because right now we are probably out of the playoff race. We're going to continue to fight these last seven games. I expect a lot more out of us."
