Here's a Q&A with Kyle from TruthAboutIt.net
Kyle: Saving themselves for the playoffs, Celtics starters played about 20 minutes each in a 3 point win against the Bucks last night....but considering how Gilbert ran his mouth before the Celtics blew the Wizards out on Nov. 2 (memorialized by KG's monster block on Gil) -- and then, the Wizards (sans Arenas) swept a 2 game, 2 night, 2 city series, is there any extra motivation to win tonight's game, especially with Arenas back in the lineup?
Jeff: This team has had its motor running all year, looking for all sorts of reasons to get motivated to play the next opponent. They took the foot off the gas in the last few games, resting starters and whatnot, but the Wizards and Hawks are the only playoff bound teams left on the schedule. So in the spirit of "gearing up for the playoffs" I think we'll see an increased effort to win this game. And yes, I'm sure a little payback for the back-to-back sweep won't hurt he motivation.
Kyle: As a Celtics blogger, who would you rather your team face in the first round?
Jeff: Whoever the worst team is. How about the Heat? I don't mind playing the Hawks. They have lots of budding talent, but they still have room to grow and I think our defense will make life very difficult for them. The only thing that scares me is that they might be too young to realize that they should be losing these games and actually win a few. The Raps scare me a lot more because they can penetrate and find open shooters. If the shots fall, they can beat anyone.
Kyle: Celtics Glue Guy:
Jeff: I could cheat and say it is Kevin Garnett because he absolutely changes the mindset of everyone, but I'll say James Posey. He's the kind of guy that doesn't show up in the box score much, but he's an emotional leader on the court and a top notch defensive player who finds a way to hit an occasional 3 point "dagger" (as Buckhantz might say) to shift the momentum our way.
Jeff: Give us the quick update on the MASH unit that is the Wizards, who's healthy, who's day to day, and who's done?
Kyle: The Wizards are indeed walking wounded....Yesterday, Caron Butler and Darius Songaila collided in practice. Both are day-to-day as X-rays were negative. Songaila has a mild sprained ankle and add a bruised knee to Butler's ailments of a bad hip, tweaked hamstring (caused him to miss a blowout in Utah), and bone chips in his left wrist.
Antawn Jamison sprained his shoulder in the painful buzzer-beater loss against Milwaukee. He missed the last two games vs. the Heat and Bulls but is intent on playing against the Celtics tonight regardless. Stevenson is nursing a tender ankle injury from the same game.
Gilbert Arenas is being limited to about 20-22 minutes a night and is avoiding back-to-back games. He played against the Heat on Friday, sat out vs. the Bulls on Saturday. He should be in for the Celtics game, but Wizards fans are starting to debate which upcoming back-to-back game he should sit out (Detroit on Friday or Philly on Saturday).
I just realized this is waaaaay too long for an injury report (feel free to shorten). Oh yea, Antonio Daniels also has a bad wrist.
Jeff: What got into Haywood? Can he sustain this effort?
Kyle: Haywood has had a tumultuous past relationship with both Eddie Jordan and Etan Thomas....and most of us are well aware of skirmishes with the latter. This summer, Eddie Jordan and new assistant Randy Ayers (a defensive guy the Wiz hired after Tom Thibodeau spurned offers to head to Boston) flew down to North Carolina to meet Brendan and sort out differences. I think that really helped....the fact that Haywood had a guaranteed starting spot in the absence of Etan Thomas didn't hurt either. A huge difference has been shooting coach, Dave Hopla. Haywood is shooting .738 from the FT line this year (his previous career high was .633 in his sophomore season)
Jeff: What does DeShawn hope to accomplish in this LeBron feud? Didn't he learn anything from "Jordan Stopper" Gerald Wilkins?
Kyle: Who knows what's going on in the head of the Lock Smith. I think LeBron is going to be good regardless....(albeit back spasms aren't exactly helping now). I don't mind Stevenson's talking so much (that is, until it hurts the Wizards like Chris Bosh's girlfriend did for the Raptors)....it's "cute" if you will; provides a lot of blog fodder. If DeShawn needs the talk to get him motivated on defense, then so be it.