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Will Russell Westbrook Play Tonight? Boston Celtics vs Washington Wizards: Injury Update, Lineup and Game Prediction

Published 01/08/2021, 12:30 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

The two opposites of the Eastern Conference get prepared to face each other tonight. In their first matchup of this season, we have the unstable Washington Wizards on one side and a soaring Boston Celtics on the other.

The Wizards have been on the wrong side of destiny so far. Despite many great individual performances, they are still not able to gain the much needed Ws.

As the Wizards hang on for dear life with 2 wins and 6 losses, the Celtics are already being seen as title contenders. They are standing fourth in the East and have the potential to be a threat to others.

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Boston Celtics injury update and lineup predictions

The Celtics are on a hot streak right now coming off wins against the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, and even the reigning conference champions, the Miami Heat. With just a 2-point win against the Heat, their star Jaylen Brown dropped 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Their remarkable run so far is all thanks to their leading duo, Brown and Jayson Tatum. The highlight of their franchise was their game against the Milwaukee Bucks in which Tatum hit a game-winning three-pointer while Giannis Antetokounmpo was defending him. In fact, their entire team rests on these pair of shoulders, especially with Kemba Walker out for a few more weeks.

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USA Today via Reuters

The Celtics have many players doubtful for this matchup. Grant Williams, Robert Williams, Tristan Thompson, Carsen Edwards, and Jeff Teague might not play due to health and safety protocols in light of the coronavirus.

With that, the predicted lineup would be Jaylen Brown, Tremont Waters, Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, and Daniel Theis.

Washington Wizards injury update and lineup prediction

Is it possible for a team to lose after one of its leading scorers drops a 60-point performance? Well, it is in the case of the Washington Wizards.

Bradley Beal was on the verge of breaking the franchise record of 61 points but didn’t. Their new addition, Russell Westbrook, already has four triple-doubles this season, but it hasn’t been enough. The bad news for Wizards is that Westbrook might sit out of this one. So, if Beal couldn’t get them a win with him, how will he do the same without him?

USA Today via Reuters

With that, the predicted lineup would be Thomas Bryant, Bradley Beal, Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija, and Raul Neto.

Game prediction

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The Wizards are still trying to find their place this season. And with the Celtics having so much momentum behind them, expect them to take advantage of Westbrook’s possible absence and win the game.

 

 

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Written by:

Yashima Bhatia

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Yashima Bhatia is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports who specialises in providing nuanced predictions and updates for matches. She has a Bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication. Yashima's love for playing the game came up at a young age, when the excitement of the games coupled with the intensity of the Playoffs had her hooked.
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