Hey, this is a close game. It didn't look like it would be early when the Celtics jumped out by as many as 12 against the Wizards in the first quarter. But here we are at halftime with the score 59-56 in Boston's favor. Not bad.
The Wizards haven't defended well. This isn't particularly surprising -- they surrendered 75 points to the Pacers in the first half on Wednesday. The easiest way to shoot 52 percent and trail at half? Allow your opponent to shoot 59 percent from the field. Boston has moved the ball well, racking up 17 assists (only six field goals were unassisted).
Fortunately, the Wizards have done a lot well at the offensive end. They've shot 18 free throws (four more than the Celtics). Jordan Crawford and Andray Blatche lead the Wizards with 15 and 14 point respectively, but more importantly they're each shooting above 50 percent from the floor. Not all the misses have been quality shots, but that's as efficient as anyone can ask for.
If the Wizards can lock in on defense in the second half, they could steal a game in Boston. For that to happen, it will have to start with John Wall containing Rajon Rondo, who has already dished out nine assists.