(Photo: USA Today)
The Washington Redskins and Boston Celtics rivalry is not at the state it was last season when the home team won every home game in 13 matchups including Game 7 in the second round of the playoffs. There are still some story lines to follow: Boston kept Washington from their first conference finals since 1979, John Wall will face off against often compared to Kyrie Irving, Bradley Beal goes up against St. Louis friend Jayson Tatum, Markieff Morris may go up against twin Marcus, and of course there is Marcus Smart.
Because the result of the Wizards-Magic game was rather boring and Washington is not practicing before the Celtics game due to CBA restrictions following a back-to-back, talk about the much anticipated Christmas Day matchup dominated the conversation in the locker room. Here is everything that Scott Brooks, John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter Jr., and even Mike Scott (despite not being on the team last season) had to say.
SCOTT BROOKS
On what jumps out:
“Couple things jump out. Could have gone either way. Seven games, down to the last few minutes of the Game 7. Second thing I think about is both teams were exhausted. That’s what you want in a series to go down to and you want to keep everything on the court with fight, play with toughness, play with physicality, play with great effort, great teamwork. I thought both teams did that, they just made a couple of extra plays down the stretch. Both teams gave Cleveland an opportunity to play against a tired team and you can see that next series that Boston was tired.”
On Celtics positionless basketball:
“They have one of the best shot makers, layup makers, three-point shooters, and finishers in the game in Kyrie. They have a tough matchup with Horford when he plays the five. They’re a good team. Tatum, it’s strange watching them play [because] he’s 20-years old, I think [he’s actually 19], it seems like he’s been in the league already for eight years. He just has a great pace, he makes shots, good athleticism, he’s a handful. He’s right there with Rookie of the Year.”
On playing on Christmas pushing weight towards the game:
“It’s an honor, there’s only 10 teams out of 30 that get to play on Christmas day. We would all love to be with our families, but we have a great job and it’s the time of our lives. We’re on national TV against the Celtics at their place. … We should enjoy it, but you don’t enjoy it if you don’t play hard. The game is a competition, it’s played within the line, but you have to play hard and compete for each other, but it’s a great thrill to play on Christmas day. I’ve had a chance to be on a few winning sides of it; family, basketball, it’s a great day for all of us.”
JOHN WALL
On what he sees that is different about the Celtics roster this year compared to last:
"We know what type of player Kyrie (Irving) is. What he can do to win games, take over games. The young guy Jayson Tatum is playing very well. (Terry) Rozier is a smart guy and playing well. Jalen Brown, for sure, when he is healthy is what he brings to the table. Aron Baynes and all the pieces they added. And just their coach. Their coach does a heck of a job no matter who is out there. They all play in the system he wants them in and they play at a high level and it's going to be a fun game."
On playing against Kyrie Irving:
"It's been great It's always been a great battle competing against each other. We are great friends off the court but on the court we are trying to take each other's head off and just trying to win the game."
On how he felt the last time he left the TD Garden (which was Game 7 of the playoffs last season):
"I was fine other than just the loss. I didn't play well in the fourth quarter but I went out the way I wanted to too and that was swinging. I didn't go out being passive, I went out playing aggressive like I did the entire playoffs. Definitely felt how the crowd was for those guys to go to the Eastern Conference Finals but other than that I was cool."
On if playing on Christmas is an honor:
"If you ever get to play on these holidays it is definitely an honor. Lot of people don't get the opportunity ever in their career to play on Christmas, or play on New Year’s or play on Thanksgiving and all those holidays. You have to take that with a lot of cherish. You get to play on a team that a lot of people projected will be fun. We go to come out and do well. When we get these opportunities all we can do is go out there and cherish it. Our families will be there to watch us and hopefully we will come out there with a win."
BRADLEY BEAL
On playing the Celtics:
"First off, I owe Jayson Tatum a gift, for a bet I loss -- Duke and Florida. I got to give him his gift tomorrow. He asked for a pair of red bottoms so he's trying to break my pockets a little bit. But I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be fun. Just the fact that we're playing on Christmas again, that's an honor and a blessing itself. You know, not many teams around the league get that opportunity every year so just embracing that. Staying locked in and knowing that this is a tough team. The best team in the East right now so we know we got to come out and be ready to go. We know it's going to be energetic. This is the team, you know they knocked us out last year so we're going to feel a little bit, some type of way about it. Hopefully, we can come out with that mindset, be mad, keep that same memory in the back of our heads and come out and compete and get a ‘W’."
OTTO PORTER JR.
On what jumps out from then and now:
“They got a good team, it’s going to be tough going into their spot. We just got to come, more focused and more ready, more alert than we have been in the past.”
MIKE SCOTT
On the Christmas Day game in Boston:
“Like a playoff game. It’s a big game to me. I wasn’t a part of this team last year but I did see it go seven games and it go back and forth. It’s going to be a big game. Intense; so I’m ready for it.”
On last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Wizards and Celtics:
“It was chippy, which I love. It was turned up. It was great, back and forth, seven games. I mean, it’s what you want out of a playoff game. Obviously came up on the short stick, but new year, new team. So we’ll see.”