The Wizards had two shots to win the game in the final seconds of regulation, but both John Wall and Bradley Beal missed their jumpers. Now Washington is on its heels, as a loss in Game 3 would basically make it nearly impossible to get past the second round.
The Wizards looked like the better team for much of Game 2 and needs that to roll over to this one. The home court advantage is huge, as Washington could very well be favored in this one despite losing each of the first two matchups.
This war on the floor will go down Thursday, May 4, 2017, at 8 p.m. ET at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Thursday schedule.
NBA Odds
The Wizards were five-point underdogs in Game 2, and they seemed destined to cover as time in regulation ticked down. However, the game went to overtime, and the Celtics took control for a 129-119 victory. Boston somehow pulled out the cover, while the “over” was the right call as the scoring total came in at 218.5 points.
Boston improved to 59-31 straight up and 47-42-1 against the spread. The Celtics have done really well on the road this season with a mark of 27-16-1 against the spread. Boston is 11-9-1 against the spread as the underdog on the year.
The Wizards are 53-37 straight up and 45-44-1 against the spread. Washington has covered in 25 of 44 tries at home on the season. The Wizards are 27-23-1 against the spread as the favorite.
Last Time Out
Isaiah Thomas was incredible for the Celtics in Game 2, scoring a career-high 53 points to help Boston rally to force overtime and then pick up the win. Thomas has 29 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, as he hit 18-of-33 from the floor, including five three-pointers.
Wall did what he could to keep Washington in range, scoring 40 points on 16-of-32 from the field while adding 13 assists and three steals. He had the ball in his hands in a tie game with a few seconds to go in the fourth quarter, but he missed the game-winner short. Beal got the rebound and had time to hit a short shot, but also missed short. Beal shot just 4-of-15 from the field.
Al Horford added 15 points and 12 rebounds for Boston, but no one really had to take a big part of the scoring load since Thomas was so dominant.
Home Sweet Home
The Wizards hope to get back into this series in Game 3, and they have reason to be confident. Washington was three games under .500 on the road this season but was a sparkling 30-11 at home.
The Wizards kept it up in the first round, winning all three of their home games against the Hawks on their way to a series victory in six games. Washington’s excellence at home is the reason why it could very well be favored in this matchup.
The Celtics, though, are feeling confident on the road. They have won six consecutive playoff games, and three of them came on the road. Boston trailed the Bulls 2-0 in the first round, but won four straight to advance, and three of those came in Chicago.
Free NBA ATS Pick
Even though the series is 2-0 in favor of Boston, these teams are pretty close in talent level. If Thomas has another performance like in Game 2, all bets are off, but it’s more likely he only hits for about 30.
Wall has been good thus far but Beal needs to step up. Expect him to play better at home, where the Wizards should be able to win this game to claw back into the series.
NBA Odds: Wizards 112, Celtics 102
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