Even with the Nos. 6 Josh Lambo Jersey , 7 and 8 seeds in the Eastern Conference all still in play for the Wizards after they beat the Boston Celtics, All-Star point guard John Wall probably will not play in Washington’s final regular-season game.
”I’m cool with whatever,” Wall said. ”That’s up to Coach to make that decision.”
Wall surpassed 5,000 career assists with 12 and scored 29 points, helping the Wizards overcome Jaylen Brown’s 21 first-quarter points to top Boston 113-101 on Tuesday night and snap a four-game losing streak.
”You want to play,” Wall said. ”I want to compete.”
Of course he does. And coach Scott Brooks would love to put Wall out on the floor against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, of course. But Wall only returned to action on March 31 after missing more than two months because of surgery on his left knee, and the Wizards have not been allowing him to play on back-to-back nights.
So that’s why Brooks acknowledged that, while Wall will travel to Orlando, he ”most likely” won’t play. In addition, the Wizards could be without starting small forward Otto Porter Jr., who sat out the second half against Boston after his right calf tightened up.
”Doubt if he plays,” Brooks said about Porter, ”but you never know.”
For now Jeff Heath Jersey , the Wizards are eighth in the East. Their result against the Magic, along with how Miami fares against Toronto and what Milwaukee does at Philadelphia, will determine where the Wizards, Heat and Bucks all wind up in the standings ahead of the playoffs.
The Celtics already were locked into the No. 2 seed, but they’re also without point guard Kyrie Irving the rest of the way. If the Wizards end up at No. 7, they would face Boston for the second year in a row. The Celtics eliminated the Wizards in Game 7 of the second round last season.
On Tuesday, Brown nearly outscored the entire Wizards team in the first quarter; he led them 19-17 with about a minute left. By the close of the period, the Celtics were up 30-22, and Brown was shooting 6 for 9, including 5 of 7 on 3-pointers.
”Smoke and mirrors,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said.
Brown wound up with 27 points at game’s end, as the Wizards tightened up their defense. He did not score in the second quarter – he only took one shot – and the Wizards cut their deficit to 54-52 by halftime, then led 79-72 entering the fourth.
The Celtics have lost four of their last five games.
”There has to be concern,” said Boston’s Al Horford Star Lotulelei Jersey , who had 10 points and 14 rebounds. ”I know it’s the second-to-last game of the season, but we have to be better and it starts with me. I have to be able to set the tone.”
The Wizards, meanwhile, were relieved to put at least a temporary end to all of their recent losing.
Regardless of seeding, a victory was what they really needed right now.
”Being able to get a win before the playoffs start is always good,” said Bradley Beal, who scored 19 points. ”Get some momentum.”
TIP-INS
Celtics: G Shane Larkin was called for a technical foul in the fourth quarter.
Wizards: Backup C Ian Mahinmi returned to action after missing one game because of a concussion.
WALL’S 5,000TH
Wall came into the game needing nine assists to reach 5,000, and he passed for four of Washington’s first five baskets. He got to the milestone with about 4 1/2 minutes remaining in the third quarter, assisting on a jumper by Markieff Morris. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft is the 10th active player, and 64th in NBA history, with 5,000 assists.
UP NEXT:
Celtics: Host the last-place Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday in a game that is meaningless in the standings.
Wizards: Play at the last-place Orlando Magic on Wednesday with a chance to move up to sixth or seventh in the East. But even with a victory Samson Ebukam Jersey , Washington could remain at No. 8.
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Aaron Donald is skipping another set of offseason workouts while his contract negotiations with the Los Angeles Rams drag on into their second year.
The All-Pro defensive tackle's teammates would like to see this standoff resolved before it has any chance to impact their promising season.
"Hey man, pay the man," cornerback Marcus Peters said. "You win the MVP? Come on now."
The NFL's Defensive Player of the Year was back home in Pittsburgh while the Rams began voluntary organized team activities at their training complex Monday. He also skipped the start of their offseason program in April.
He is missing the first steps in the assembly of a potentially impressive defense. Peters joined the Rams in the offseason along with fellow star cornerback Aqib Talib and defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh 鈥?but they haven't yet teamed up with Donald, who turns 27 on Wednesday.
"Aaron is a vet, man," Talib said. "He's going to take care of his own business. What's his business is his business."
Donald is due to make $6.89 million this season in the final year of his rookie contract, and the Rams theoretically could keep him for three additional years under a franchise tag. But he has been one of the NFL's top defensive linemen since his career began in 2014, and the Rams' front office has claimed it is eager to sign Donald to a long-term contract.
"It's kind of where it's been," coach Sean McVay said of the Rams' negotiation with Donald. "We're in constant dialogue and communication with his representation. It is something that we want to get resolved. As far as a timetable, don't really have any dates on that. I don't expect Aaron to be here until we get a resolution to that."
These negotiations still appear to be civil and respectful, despite their abnormal length. Donald has expressed little public frustration with the Rams' reticence to write the check he is seeking, while McVay and general manager Les Snead have scrupulously avoided any public criticism of the tactics that have kept Donald away from his teammates.
"He and I have had good dialogue," McVay said. "I spoke with him last week. This feels a lot different than last year. Certainly anytime that you have something where the team comes together, to have a player that's as important as he is here Adam Gotsis Jersey , you would prefer that. But it is voluntary. We understand that, and we have a lot of respect and understanding for what's going on."
Donald also skipped most of last year's offseason activities in his lengthy quest for a contract befitting his talent and accomplishments. That holdout lasted through training camp and the entire preseason while he attempted to land a new contract likely to make him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.
He missed the Rams' season opener after reporting to the team one day before the game. Donald still was named the NFL's top defensive player despite appearing in only 14 games while Los Angeles roared to the NFC West title and the franchise's first postseason appearance in 13 years.
Donald matched his career high with 11 sacks last year while causing continual havoc to opponents' offensive lines and running games.
Although Donald clearly doesn't need the offseason program to thrive, particularly heading into his second season in coordinator Wade Phillips' scheme, he's missing out on the chance to bond with his teammates while working out his dynamic with Suh. The duo could be one of the NFL's most intimidating combinations this fall after Suh chose the Rams from among several suitors for his free-agent services.
The Rams' new defensive players finished their first day with new respect for McVay's offense, which took Los Angeles from worst to first in the NFL in scoring last year.
"We got an introduction to that McVay offense, and it's crazy," Talib said. "There's a bunch of movement, a bunch of speed on it. You've got to have your eyes in the right place."
The Rams' mandatory minicamp doesn't begin until June 12, following three weeks of voluntary workouts.
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