Washington starts season against the defending champion Boston Celtics who just tied the NBA-record for threes
Game info
When: Thursday, October 23, 2024
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
How to watch: Monumental/League Pass; Also on the Bullets Forever Playback with Albert Lee and Gabe Ibrahim!
Injuries
Washington—Malcolm Brogdon (Out-thumb), Saddiq Bey (Out-knee)
Boston—Kristaps Porzingis (Out-foot)
What to watch for
- Does Boston cool off? The Celtics started the season where they finished the last one: on top. Boston crushed the new-look Knicks by 23 points and led by as many as 35 after raising their championship banner. Jayson Tatum put his Olympic failure (or whatever) behind him with a 37-point and 10-assist performance. Boston tied an NBA-record with 29 three-pointers, hitting 47.5% of their deep shots. They only failed to set the record by missing 13 consecutive three-point attempts to end the game. Hopefully, Boston regresses to the mean in a big way. But if the Celtics hit 29 threes or close to it against the Wizards, they will win the game regardless of Washington’s performance.
- Can Jonas Valančiūnas make his presence felt? It’s hard to find matchups in the Wizards’ favor in this game. Boston has the advantage on the perimeter, at every position. Valančiūnas could provide Washington’s best matchup to attack with former Wiz Kristaps Porzingis out with a foot injury. Al Horford isn’t a slouch defensively, but he is getting older and Valančiūnas averages nearly a double-double against him. Boston usually punishes slower centers on offense and runs them off the floor. But if Valančiūnas can do enough defensively, he could help slow down the game in the post and give DC a chance.
- Can one of the young guys seize the opportunity? Opening night against the defending champs provides a heck of an environment for Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, and Bub Carrington to start their careers. Due to Boston’s perimeter defense, Sarr and George may have an easier time scoring than Carrington. For Wizards fans, any one of them flashing their potential to start the season might be enough.