Celtics Mock Wizards, Wear All Black Ahead Of Game 6
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Celtics are taking a page out of their foe's playbook, and appear to be planning a funeral for the Washington Wizards.
Boston's troll game is strong ahead of Friday night's Game 6 and they look confident that they're going to send the Wizards home for good, as they showed up to the Verizon Center wearing all black:
Celtics arrive in all black tonight. Not a coincidence. Coverage on @CSNNE starts at 6:00 #celticstalk pic.twitter.com/bRT1Zwyvi3
— Nathan Long (@Mr_Nate_Long) May 12, 2017
The Wizards pulled the same stunt on Boston during the regular season, donning all black ahead of their January 24 showdown to symbolize a "funeral" for the Celtics. They went on to win that tilt with ease, 123-108.
Tensions were high between the two teams back then, with Washington's fashion statement coming two weeks after a tussle broke on the floor after a Celtics victory in Boston that saw Jae Crowder poking John Wall's nose. Things have been much calmer between the two sides throughout the first five games of the series (minus Kelly Oubre charging Kelly Olynyk in Game 3), but Washington probably won't be too thrilled to learn their opponent mocked them ahead of a potential elimination game.
Boston, who can eliminate the Wizards and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals with a win, is claiming that their attire on Friday night is purely a coincidence.
"I think it just happened, that everybody just happened to be wearing it, maybe," C's guard Avery Bradley told reporters (via ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg). "I don't know. Yeah, everybody just, I don't know. It wasn't planned. Kind of weird. I didn't notice it until people started saying something about it."
Celtics head coach Brad Stevens arrived in a grey suit and joked that he didn't get the memo.
"I'm not on the text chain. By design," Stevens told reporters. "I still haven't heard anybody talk about it so I don't even know what the deal is. I'm being dead honest. Like, I didn't hear anybody talk about it. There weren't that many guys on the bus that I rode over with, then I just walked in there and talking about the Wizards and how to prepare for this game."
The Celtics better hope they have a similar result as the Wizards enjoyed back in January, otherwise their pregame stunt will look pretty foolish.
Update: After the Wizards beat the Celtics 92-91, Washington guard John Wall ripped the Celtics for their pregame attire.