The Boston Celtics are back on their home court on Saturday night for a meeting with the Washington Wizards.
Lately, the Celtics have found themselves in a rare position, dropping two games in a row. With some key players getting back into the lineup, the Celtics are staring at a favorable matchup.
Jayson Tatum recently took his first game off since returning from an Achilles injury. The Celtics listed him out against the Oklahoma City Thunder as a part of his injury management plan.
The star forward sat out alongside the standout Derrick White. The Celtics put up a good battle against the defending champions, but they found themselves coming up short in the end. The Thunder won 104-102.
The Celtics are searching for a way to get back in the winner’s column this weekend.
Boston Celtics Announce Starting Lineup vs. Washington Wizards
The Celtics will start Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta on Saturday.
Since Tatum’s return on March 6, against the Dallas Mavericks, the Celtics haven’t found themselves having a hard time adjusting to having him back in the lineup.
With a 27-minute shift out of the gate, Tatum went 6-16 from the field to score 15 points. He secured a double-double with 12 rebounds and nearly had a triple-double with seven assists against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In his second game back, Tatum shot 6-16 from the field for a second-straight game. He scored 20 points while producing three rebounds and two assists against the Denver Nuggets.
During the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs, Tatum upped his shooting volume by taking 24 shots. He made 41.7% of his attempts to score 24 points. He was slightly more productive with his scoring, but it wasn’t enough for the Celtics to overcome the thriving Spurs.
Along with Tatum, the Celtics are getting Derrick White back on the court. This season, White has been thriving, averaging 17.5 points per game. While his efficiency is down (39% FG, 32% 3PT), he is averaging a career-high in points and assists.
Where The Celtics Stand
Although the Celtics just dropped two games in a row, Boston is still in great shape.
Heading into Saturday’s action, the Celtics possess the Eastern Conference’s second seed with a 43-23 record. They are 6-4 over their last 10 games.
The New York Knicks are one game behind the Celtics, while the Detroit Pistons have a comfortable 5-game cushion. It might be too much to catch the Pistons for the top seed, but the Celtics have undoubtedly exceeded expectations so far this season.
The Celtics will get a chance to build on their impressive campaign with a 6 PM ET tip against the Washington Wizards on Saturday.